


how did it all begin?

by spwitecwanbewwy



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Alternate Universe - College/University, Angst, Attempted Sexual Assault, Babysitting, Childhood Friends, Date Rape Drug/Roofies, Dominatrix!Reader, F/M, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Haikyuu!! Manga Spoilers, Heroic Bokuto, Insecure Yamaguchi Tadashi, Mentions of Alcohol Consumption, Mentions of period/leaking, Mentions of sex work, Mutual Pining, Police Officer Sawamura Daichi, Post-Time Skip, Stalker ex, Streamer Kenma, Study Date, Swearing, but not by a character!!!, no beta we die like men
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-22
Updated: 2021-01-08
Packaged: 2021-03-06 16:14:37
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 36
Words: 83,741
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26041774
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/spwitecwanbewwy/pseuds/spwitecwanbewwy
Summary: A collection of stories with the characters of Haikyuu and how your relationship began. Great relationships don't necessarily have great beginnings. In fact, it's cringy and awkward but tender and sweet. Each chapter = new character. Marked complete for now, but new chapters from requests are being added! Feel free to comment any character requests!Some chapters are fem reader but others are gender-neutral!Some are also time-skip content and others are not!If you're more into fluff, check out my other work: Domestic Bliss and Chaos!
Relationships: Akaashi Keiji/Reader, Aone Takanobu/Reader, Azumane Asahi/Reader, Bokuto Koutarou/Reader, Goshiki Tsutomu/Reader, Haiba Lev/Reader, Hanamaki Takahiro/Reader, Hinata Shouyou/Reader, Hirugami Sachirou/Reader, Iwaizumi Hajime/Reader, Kageyama Tobio/Reader, Kinoshita Hisashi/Reader, Kita Shinsuke/Reader, Koganegawa Kanji/Reader, Kozume Kenma/Reader, Kunimi Akira/Reader, Kuroo Tetsurou/Reader, Kyoutani Kentarou/Reader, Matsukawa Issei/Reader, Miya Atsumu/Reader, Miya Osamu/Reader, Oikawa Tooru/Reader, Sakusa Kiyoomi/Reader, Sawamura Daichi/Reader, Semi Eita/Reader, Shimizu Kiyoko/Reader, Sugawara Koushi/Reader, Suna Rintarou/Reader, Takeda Ittetsu/Reader, Tanaka Ryuunosuke/Reader, Tendou Satori/Reader, Terushima Yuuji/Reader, Ukai Keishin/Reader, Ushijima Wakatoshi/Reader, Yamaguchi Tadashi/Reader, Yamamoto Taketora/Reader
Comments: 452
Kudos: 1998





	1. Ushijima Wakatoshi

Ushijima Wakatoshi loves you. That’s an undisputed fact among the Shiratorizawa Academy boy’s volleyball team. The question is, how did this relationship come to be? Whenever either of you had to answer the question, the automated response was to smile and avoid answering it. 

The truth? The answer was absolutely embarrassing and you made Ushijima swear to never tell another living soul or you would expose Ushijima for how he was when you first met. 

It was in your first year at Shiratorizawa, in the dead middle of winter. Ushijima had entered as a force to be reckoned with in his first year, thanks to his athletic prowess during middle school, and even though you weren’t in his class, you had been to enough volleyball games with your friends to know that Ushijima Wakatoshi was a difficult person to approach. 

Hours earlier during your daily lunch soccer game with your classmates, you bled straight through your sweatpants, leaving you to fight the chilly winter afternoon with your uniform skirt and knee-high socks on your walk home. 

So here you were, shivering as you walked past the gates of Shiratorizawa in your uniform blouse and skirt, legs bare and fending for themselves against the below zero temperatures. At this point, you were regretting ignoring your mom in the morning. She had specifically told you to take a jacket with you, but you waved her off, claiming that the run to school and the practice before classes would keep you warm. 

Ushijima had left practice the earliest, silently walking off as soon as the practice match against the local university team was won. As he descended the steep hill that Shiratorizawa sat on, he spotted you from a distance, both hands clutching to your backpack and arms firmly glued to your sides. More importantly, he cocked his head seeing your bare legs. 

At first, he thought you just preferred to dress this way, but as his much larger strides closed the wide gap between you two, he could clearly see that you were shivering. 

“Why are you dressed like that?” He didn’t mean to scare you, but at the sudden voice, you whipped around, fists clenched and ready to fight. At your stance, he couldn’t help but laugh, throwing his head back and nearly tearing up from seeing someone as tiny as you were ready to beat up someone his size. 

“Oh, it’s you,” you meekly lowered your fists and pressed your skirt down as a gust of wind threatened to expose you. “I bled through my only pair of sweatpants.” Ushijima cocked his head to the side, brows furrowed. “My period,” you plainly stated, looking up at him with renewed interest. “Menstruation, my time of the month, Shark Week, whatever you call it,” you burst out giggling at Ushijima’s growing confusion by the second. 

“Your... period,” Ushijima repeated slowly, blinking. You nodded and stared as you could see the gears turning in his brain. Thirty seconds later, Ushijima seemed to have fully processed the information and immediately began rummaging through his bag. 

He practically shoves a pile of his clothes towards you. You sifted through the clothes and selected a pair of sweatpants that were way too big for you and his Shiratorizawa training jacket. The rest of the clothes included three pairs of socks, a neatly folded pair of boxers, and three knee pads. Those you gladly dumped back into his bag. 

You abandoned your backpack on the street and looked up to ask, “Can you keep me steady?” He hesitated for a second but nodded. Using his arm for support, you slip one leg in at a time into the grey sweatpants. Your foot nearly got stuck and you lurched forward, but Ushijima’s arms gripped you tight and planted you down. 

“Thanks,” you beamed up at him, stepping out from his hands to tightly tie the pants around your waist and shrug into his jacket.  
His jacket hit your mid-thighs and the amount of fabric swallowed you, but you could smell the hint of his cologne along the collar. 

“See something you like?” you smirked, spinning around for him to see and expecting him to be just as flustered earlier. Instead, he surprises you again by simply saying, “You look good in my clothes.” 

A blush crept across your cheeks, thankfully disguised by the winter chill. So bold and blunt. Exactly what you should’ve expected from Ushijima Wakatoshi. Even if he didn’t mean it in a flirtatious way, you couldn’t deny how your heart skipped a beat hearing his deep voice say those words. 

“Do you want to walk me home?” You asked with hopes of spending more time with him. Say yes, you chanted in your head. 

A man of action, Ushijima slung your backpack over his shoulder and intertwined his fingers with yours. Realizing how freezing your hands were, he stuffed your hand into his pockets, your hand still enveloped by his calloused one.

For the majority of the walk home, you talked, rambling about how Shiratorizawa should ban early morning practices, how you didn’t realize the intensity of volleyball until you saw him play, and how your teachers were already threatening your class with mountains of homework over the winter holidays. He respectfully listened, nodding occasionally to agree with you and grunting to disagree. 

By the time you arrived at the front gate of your house, you didn’t want to let go of him. You hesitated before untangling your fingers from his and slipping your hand out of his pocket. There was a brief moment where if either of you had leaned in, your lips would be practically touching, but neither of you took the step. 

Instead, you thanked him and promised to return his clothes to him washed and dried tomorrow at school. He watched as you disappeared into the house before turning to walk home, in the complete opposite direction. 

That night, you berated yourself for failing to make a move. He had to have some interest in you since he said with his own mouth that he liked you in his clothes. With that thought in mind, you neatly folded his freshly washed clothes and packed them in your backpack for tomorrow. 

You found him after your respective early morning practices. He seemed to be waiting for you by the locker rooms as you ducked out with damp hair clinging to your uniform. 

“Thank you for yesterday,” you smiled, holding out with outstretched arms his clothes. Expressionless, he takes his clothes back and the two of you find yourselves in silence once again. 

“I regretted not kissing you yesterday,” you blurted out. 

“Me too.” It’s music to your ears. 

Better late than never, you wrapped your hand around his uniform tie and yanked him towards you, crashing your lips against his. 

Looking back, the start of your relationship shouldn't be a big secret but keeping the mystery alive for the sake of teasing the volleyball team was too much fun for the two of you.


	2. Kuroo Tetsurou

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kuroo = volleyball captain. But Kuroo's also in college preparatory classes and you're not. Chemistry is a mystery that you can never understand. Can learning chemistry create chemistry? Absolutely.

When people saw you two studying at school during lunch breaks and in between classes, everyone thought that you were the one stuck tutoring the typically disinterested volleyball player. The truth? If it wasn’t for your boyfriend, you would have failed chemistry in the fall semester. 

In your eyes, Kuroo had it all: brains, beauty, and body. Although most people seemed to sum Kuroo Tetsurou up to be just another volleyball player at Nekoma, you knew better. In fact, you were ashamed to admit that you only saw him as an athlete and nothing else. Even though he was placed in a college preparatory class, you never considered him to have any interest in academics. 

Two weeks into your first year of high school was all it took for your chemistry teacher to pull you aside after class. 

“I noticed you’ve been having trouble with the class material,” she spoke softly in an attempt to empathize, but tears were ready to flow freely from your eyes. “I can set you up with a student tutor to help.” All you could do was nod and bow multiple times. 

“I’ll pass along your phone number and they’ll be in contact with you,” your teacher smiled up and patted your shoulder reassuringly, “With some help, I have no doubt that you will digest the material before your first exam.” 

To say you were horrified and embarrassed didn’t even scrape the surface. School and you did not get along and this you learned early on in elementary school when you were placed in special classes with a handful of other students. Simply put, traditional learning styles failed to capture your attention. With guidance from teachers along the way, you adopted new learning styles like making diagrams, models, and performing hands-on experiments. 

You didn’t leave the school grounds yet and already, your phone chirped with a new message.

Hi, this is Kuroo Tetsurou, your new chemistry tutor. I have volleyball practice after school most days, but my weekends are free and so are school nights. Text me your availability and I’ll get back to you! 

Kuroo... the name was familiar but no face popped up to match the name. Hurriedly, you texted back, grateful for the help.

Hi, thank you so much for getting in touch with me so quickly! I have club activities on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, but free any other time. See you this Saturday maybe? 

Two steps later and another text arrived. 

Saturday sounds good. 10 AM at the local library? 

See you then! There was some hope for you maybe, after all. 

With four days left in the week, you stumbled through the new content with a minor grasp on the basics of chemical formulas. Saturday was a blessing. 

The air conditioning was pumping relentlessly and you shivered at the sudden temperature change in the library. Your eyes quickly scanned the tables on the first floor and landed on the only kid your age in sight. The remainder of the library patrons were little kids and their parents curled up on bean bag chairs for the weekly read-aloud event.  
“Hi,” you cautiously approached the boy with spiky black hair, “Kuroo, right?” He looked up and nodded, grinning. You pulled a chair and sank down by his side, reluctantly dropping your pencil case and class notes down. 

Thus began your meetings with Kuroo. At first, it was just the Saturday library meetings, but as soon as the material became more complex, you sought him out in between classes, during lunch, and in the five minutes before practice. 

Every time, you bounded towards him with a pout on your face and your eyes glassy, seconds from bursting into tears. You felt so stupid and overwhelmed, hating yourself for something you couldn’t change about yourself. Each time, Kuroo welcomed you sweetly and assured you that he would work it through with you. 

When your first test was looming over you in a week, Kuroo came by your house every day after school, sweaty from practice and backpack filled with your favorite honey butter chips and banana milk. 

“I don’t get it,” you hit your head on your desk with a thud and buried your face in your hands. “I hate conversion.” Kuroo laid a hand on your head and sighed.

“We’re going to do more practice problems and I’ll work through the mistakes with you,” Kuroo assured you. When you didn’t raise your head, he laid his head on the desk and turned to face you. “I’ll treat you to a nice meal when your test is over,” Kuroo grinned mischievously, and immediately, you perked up.

“Let’s go to that new café with the strawberry crepe cakes!” You excitedly bounced up and down, forgetting about the red marks all over your practice problems. 

“Deal.” Kuroo didn’t really care too much for cakes and desserts, but seeing your eyes twinkle again made him stare at you for a second longer than normal. 

At the next volleyball practice, Kenma murmured something that Kuroo didn’t quite catch, but judging from Kenma’s annoyed expression, it was worth hearing again. 

“What did you say, Kenma?” Kuroo elbowed Kenma, wiggling his brows to lighten the mood. The frown on Kenma’s face didn’t disappear like he expected to. 

“You spend all your time with that girl. Don’t forget that we have actual games next month.” Kenma didn’t glare, but the message was clear to Kuroo. He needed a better grasp on time management, it was true. He arrived late and left early. He rarely saw Kenma outside of school. However, he couldn’t help wanting to spend more time with you. Your quiz grades were definitely improving and the endless thanks and hugs you received from her whenever her studying paid off left you wanting more. 

On the day of your test, Kuroo was more nervous than you were. All day, he anxiously tapped his foot, earning a kick to the shins from Kenma. You were nowhere to be found at lunch, so Kenma had to deal with Kuroo’s sulking. 

It was a relief to see you running towards him while he was tying his shoes in front of the gym before volleyball practice began. You were so easy to read and your smile said it all. 

“Kuroo!” You jumped into his arms and threw your arms around him. “I knew how to solve most of the questions!” He spun you around and tightened his arms around you. 

“I’m so proud of you.” His head was buried in your shoulder and his muffled voice hid the slight crack as a result of tearing up, seeing you so confident for once. 

“I couldn’t have done it without you,” You mumbled as you landed gently. When you looked up, you wanted to throw your arms around his neck and just kiss him. It was an intrusive thought that you couldn’t shake even after you waved goodbye to him as his other teammates dragged him into the gym. 

When you turned to leave, you were startled as you nearly ran into Kenma. “Sorry!” You bowed and stepped aside for him to pass, but Kenma didn’t move. 

“You should come to our game tomorrow. I don’t know if Kuroo told you, but he is a great player and we have an important match tomorrow. I’m sure he’ll appreciate you coming.” Kenma left you stunned. It was only then that you realized how much of Kuroo’s time you had been absorbing, worried about yourself rather than him too. You texted him whenever you needed him and he always replied. He called you after quiz days to ensure that you weren’t upset. 

You admired him for all he’d done for you, never complaining. Kuroo was dependable and trustworthy, but what were you to him? 

How did one dress for volleyball games? You certainly didn’t know, so you settled for black leggings and a red shirt. The least you could do was wear your school colors. 

The city gymnasium was bustling with multiple schools from Toyka and its outlying districts in attendance. Relief flooded you when you spotted the back of Nekoma’s training jackets. Kuroo’s spiky hair could be spotted from a mile away. 

Your heart was pounding as you approached him, throwing your arms around his waist. “Surprise,” you shouted and he quickly spun around, initially confused. But when he saw you, his face lit up, the same mischievous smile you’ve grown to love blossoming on his face. 

There wasn’t much time before warm-ups, but Kuroo escorted you to the stands where you could see him the best. He promised to meet you by the doors of Court C after the match before reluctantly leaving your side. 

That day, you gained respect for volleyball. Who knew that it would be so fast-paced and intense? The camaraderie and the thunderous cheers created an atmosphere like no other. More than anything, you saw a different side of Kuroo. His genius in the classroom was unparalleled to his genius on the court.

As the game progressed, each time Kuroo blocked a spike, you screamed until your lungs felt like they would burst. Your heart swelled with pride and with Nekoma winning for the day, no one could wipe the smile off your face.

It became custom to leap into Kuroo’s arms at this point. He squeezed you tight and you brushed his hair away from his face without thinking. You were so close to him, noses practically touching, and at that moment, something possessed you to kiss him. 

Your lips brushed against him for a second and you pulled away, shocked at yourself. 

“Come here,” he whispered, before crashing your lips with his again. Somewhere behind you, Lev hollered and you smiled against Kuroo. 

Yaku cleared his throat, “We’re blocking the way.” The two of you broke apart and sheepishly looked down at your feet. 

“Kuroo can pretend to be a playboy all he wants, but you’ll never fool me!” Lev’s singsong voice floated through the main concourse of the gymnasium. Without knowing, your hand was snuggled in Kuroo’s. 

The volleyball team rode the team bus back to school for a post-match analysis meeting, so with the promise to see him tomorrow for your trip to the café, you sent off Kuroo with his team.

Looking back, the strawberry café was your first date. It was also one of the few dates that either of you could spare outside the library and off the court, but you didn’t mind. The study dates brought you two together in the first place, but to this day, your hatred for chemistry remained, because you still didn’t understand why you needed to learn stoichiometry.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you as always for reading! Kudos, comments, feedback are much appreciated!


	3. Kenma Kozume

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Your parents are going to meet your boyfriend Kenma for the first time. How on earth do you explain to your parents how streaming games is a viable full-time job and a lucrative career path for Kenma?

When Kenma first met your parents, you weren’t sure how to introduce him. The questions they asked were those you predicted: How did you two meet? What do you do? Where are you from? 

We met online. He streams games. He’s from Tokyo. The last answer wasn’t going to be a problem at all. In fact, it’s a bonus for your parents, who have been hoping that you’ll move away to the big city and become a career woman. The issue lies within the other two questions. 

As the youngest of three kids, your parents and two older brothers were already overprotective and overbearing. Add the huge age gap between your siblings and you into the mix, and well, generational differences were inevitable ignition points for countless arguments. 

To meet someone online would sound seedy to your parents. How could you know what he’s really like? What if he’s pretending to be someone he’s not? Playing video games for an online audience as a full-time job is a concept your parents couldn’t begin to grasp. But how will he provide for a family? How much money could he possibly make? These were all questions you were anticipating.

“Hey,” Kenma’s timid voice managed to startle you. You snapped your head up and smiled apologetically when you saw the worry etched into his forehead. He reached his hand out across the coffee table and you slipped your hand into his. He drew small circles with his thumb on the back of your hand, expertly making all your negative anxious thoughts vanish. 

With a sigh, you sipped on your latte, staring down at the coffee table. “Sorry, Kenma, I’m just spiraling. What if my parents don’t like us together?” Having your parents demand that you break up with Kenma was a realistic outcome of this meeting in an hour. 

A tiny, adorable smile formed on Kenma’s lips. “I’m not going to let you break up with me, no matter what your parents think of us together.” His unwavering confidence did manage to ease your nerves slightly. 

“Remember when we first met?” The memories never failed to make your heart flutter. 

“Of course. You were unstoppable in PUBG,” Kenma was bouncing slightly in his chair, beaming. “People insisted on having you on the stream again the next time I played.” 

PUBG was how you learned to hang out with your older brothers. They would rarely play with you once you became a teenager, so you adapted and intercepted their favorite hobby. Three months of daily gameplay finally allowed you to become your brothers’ equal in the game and you were easily hooked. While your parents didn’t appreciate the development of a gaming addiction, they were pleased that you stayed in touch with your brothers who had moved overseas for their work.

With your parents on a business trip on your 18th birthday, you spent the entire day playing PUBG. In the morning, you played with your brothers, who were halfway across the world, and at night, you played with random teammates. During your last game of the night, Kenma appeared in your group. 

“Your audience made you sing happy birthday to me,” You chuckled, recalling how reluctant and timid he was to sing for you. 

“It was embarrassing to have to ask for your number afterward,” Kenma shook his head grimly. With his audience loving your playing style and temper, Kenma reached out and sent a friend request to your right as you logged off for the night. 

After a week of playing together after you got off of work, you exchanged numbers and began to text each other. Gradually, a date was set for the two of you to meet in person. On a fateful weekend you had off in April of last year, you took the train to Tokyo to see Kenma. 

“I remember how shy you were.” Your eyes twinkled and Kenma pursed his lips. “You barely held my hand at the end of the day.” Here he was now, his and your fingers inseparable across the coffee table. Even though Kenma wasn’t big on public displays of affection and you were, you compromised with constant hand-holding. 

Kenma held your hand up, still linked with his. “We do a lot more than hand-holding now,” He mumbled suggestively, a rosy pink rising on his cheeks. You winked and he looked pleased. Both of you were certainly grateful that your parents agreed to meet in Tokyo since it eliminated the option of him sleeping at your family home in one of your brother’s rooms. Instead, no matter how the meeting unfolded, you would snuggle with Kenma tonight as you drifted off to sleep. 

Your trip to Tokyo was life-changing. Not only did you confess to Kenma under cherry blossom petals falling from the sky, but you were also hired at a publishing company that you secretly scheduled an interview for. 

“I still can’t believe you let me move in with you. Sure, we talked online for nine months, but you had met me in person two days ago,” You shook your head. “I never expected you to offer after I forced you to go clubbing with Kuroo.’ 

Kuroo had spied on your date with Kenma. When you arrived at the coffee shop, you failed to notice the very obvious glances exchanged between Kenma and the spiky black-haired kid sitting behind you. Kuroo had even bumped into you “accidentally” while you were waiting to order, casually striking up a conversation and inviting you on a night out. You kindly declined, having planned to spend the entirety of your trip with Kenma. 

After Kenma gave an inconspicuous signal to Kuroo at the end of your date, you were officially introduced to Kuroo. The offer to go clubbing was back on the table and with whining from both you and Kuroo, Kenma was penciled in for a wild night. 

Never will you ever participate in a drinking contest with Kuroo. That night, Kuroo carried you on his back to your hotel room, after thirty minutes of convincing that you were in no condition to continue partying for the night. 

“Whenever you come home drunk after your work parties, I still think about that night,” Kenma shuddered, squeezing his eyes shut in horror.

You smiled sheepishly, batting your eyes and grinning widely. “Nowadays when I come home drunk, I just stick to you like glue.” 

Two nights ago, your colleagues celebrated the releases of a new novel that climbed to the bestseller’s list. From the sound of your keys scraping against the door lock, Kenma knew he was in for a night. 

When you swung the door open, you collapsed onto the floor by the shoe closet, barely remembering to shut the door behind you. 

Kenma had been streaming as he did on nights you worked late. You fumbled to pull out your phone and entered his stream. One comment begging for a hug and Kenma logged off, squatting by you dozing off against the door. 

Kenma gathered you in his arms and steadied you as you managed to stand up. Clinging onto his arms, you stumbled to the bedroom and sank into the mattress with Kenma in your arms. He tumbled over you but quickly tried to stand back up. 

“I have to edit the stream,” Kenma chided, but you latched onto him, capturing him with your legs. You buried your face into his chest and clutched onto his shirt. 

“No, stay here with me,” You whispered over and over again, refusing to untangle from him. Eventually, he stopped squirming and stayed in bed until you fell asleep. 

“Your phone is ringing,” Kenma pointed to your dancing phone on the table and you snatched it up. 

“Are you here, Mom?” You motioned to Kenma to get up and he immediately gathered up the cups and plates scattered around the table. “Oh, we’re just a block away from the restaurant, we’ll be there a minute!” With the table cleared by Kenma, it was time to face the music. 

“Ready?” Kenma offered his arm and you gladly slipped your arm into his arm. A quick peck on the cheek melted away the remainder of your anxiety and you grinned at Kenma. You cupped his chin and pulled him in for a deeper kiss, his eyes fluttering closed. Reluctantly, he pulled away and straightened himself up. He fiddled with the buttons on his shirt and grasped at his belt. His slender hands smoothed over his shirt once again and you couldn’t help but giggle. 

“Who’s the nervous one now,” You teased, sticking your tongue out. “Come on, we’re going to be fine.” You gently clasped his hand and led the two of you to the fancy restaurant around the corner. 

As you predicted, your parents did ask a lot of questions about Kenma’s job but showed genuine interest. Apparently, you had your brothers to thank for priming your parents for the dinner with a two-hour-long Facetime call, lecturing them on going easy on you, and to be courteous to Kenma. 

Most important to your parents, however, was how happy you looked. In their eyes, you were radiant alongside Kenma, The way you subtly leaned into him when you laughed, the way you smiled with your eyes crinkled at him, the way he reassuringly patted you on the arm whenever you tensed at a question from your parents were all indicators that even if your parents couldn’t understand how streamers earned their income, you were absolutely delighted to be with Kenma. In the end, they were thankful for the happiness Kenma gifted you daily, something that you seemed to be in shortage of prior to moving to Tokyo. 

Your mother and father hugged both you and Kenma goodnight, which threatened tears to pour down your face. 

“Thank you for being so wonderful to my daughter,” Your mother gushed, hugging Kenma once again. Kenma slipped his arms around your mother and your heart swelled at the sight. 

The four of you bowed and waved goodbye. With your backs turned to your parents, you immediately slouched into Kenma’s arms. “I love you so much,” You murmured. Kenma nuzzled your cheek and you sighed. “It’s over.” You finally felt at peace with the fear of your parents hating Kenma wiped away. 

You leaned up to kiss Kenma, but your father’s voice rang loud and clear, “Kenma! This is your obligatory ‘I will hurt you if you hurt my daughter’ warning!” Laughing, the two of you pulled apart and faced your father, gleefully waving from down the street. 

“I don't think your parents realize you are more of a threat to me than vice versa,” Kenma elbowed you and you turned your nose up. 

You innocently batted your eyelashes at Kenma and sang, “I have no idea what you’re talking off.” The two of you started the ten-minute walk to your apartment but after a few steps, you suddenly stopped, nearly causing Kenma to trip over his own feet. With a devious smile, you smiled at Kenma and reminded him, “Oh, I have to get up early tomorrow for my kickboxing class!” 

Kenma groaned and shook his head. “See? You’re deadly.” 

Your laughter rang out, crystal clear among the intermittent honking of the cars, and looking at you, Kenma's eyes twinkled.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you as always for reading! Forgive me for any mistakes, it's 5am...


	4. Bokuto Koutarou

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bokuto protects you from a creep staring at you in the gym... only to turn into a creep himself?! Just kidding he doesn't, but he certainly can't stop staring at your ass either.

Every morning before you went to work, you managed to drag your lazy ass to the gym. The habit was first established in college when your roommate attended a yoga class each morning. Since then, you never bothered to stop going because you were too lazy to cancel the membership. 

Today was no different. You started off with some light jogging on the treadmill before transitioning into a circuit of weight training machines before ending with some deadlifting. 

Music blared through your headphones and you huffed as you completed your last set on the leg press machine, hopping off and wiping it down before squatting to check your phone. 

It was only 5:30am, but already your best friend had sent ten messages about her horrible overnight shift in the emergency room. After sending your own stream of replies, you stretched and stood up to do some lifting before heading home. 

You were in the zone, jamming out despite how exhausted you were after an hour of working out. Mindlessly, your eyes wandered in the mirror, zeroing in on a man staring at your ass. When you met his eyes with a menacing, he ducked behind a machine and you scoffed. It wasn’t the first time, but no one on the gym staff had done anything to mitigate the creepy male members from harassing women. 

You had ten more minutes left of your workout, but you were too irritated to continue. With a heavy sigh, you cleaned up the weights and retreated to the safety of the changing rooms. 

After a refreshing shower, your mood had improved significantly. You walked out of the changing rooms staring at your phone, reviewing your schedule for the day, nearly bumping into someone. Whoever it was tall, almost too tall for any woman you knew at the gym. 

“Sorry!” You shuffled back a few steps and glanced up to see a spiky, black-and-white haired guy sheepishly smiling. 

“No worries, I guess I was standing too close,” He scratched his head and also stepped back, now leaving an awkwardly wide space between you too. 

“Is there something you need?” You turned to point to the sign reading ‘Women’s Changing Room’ behind you, “The men’s changing room is around the corner.” 

He shook his head energetically and laughed heartily when he detected the growing confusion spreading over your face. “Oh, well, there's a guy here who keeps ogling you and he seems to be following you around the entire gym. I just wanted to offer an escort out to your car.” 

Well, that was kind and unexpected. Although you were still hesitant, you couldn’t deny how creeped out you were by the other guy. 

“Thank you for the offer, I’d really appreciate that,” You smiled as he motioned to the door, waiting for you to walk ahead of him. You shouldered your bag and dug out the keys from your back pocket before slipping your arm through his. 

As soon as you exited through the doors of the gym, the creep from earlier entered your peripheral vision. Just as the creep took a step towards you, the guy you bumped into was a step behind you. He took another step to be by your side, physically blocking the creep from you. 

“Let’s go!” He shouted, tugging on your arm and marching with you to the parking lot. 

He glanced back several times to confirm that the creep fled, before finally introducing himself.

“Oh, I’m Bokuto Koutarou, by the way!” The wide and innocent grin on his face disarmed you and you replied with your own name, no longer worrying that he had any negative intentions. 

He chatted away about himself, casually dropping that he was a professional athlete and pestering you to guess what sport he played as the two of you walked through the parking lot to your car. 

“Football?” He shook his head gleefully, reveling in this little trivia game. “Soccer?” Another shake. “Rugby?” Another hearty laugh. He had such wide shoulders and was bulked up, which convinced you that he was some contact-sport player. Apparently, you had no eye for such things. “Basketball?” You offered, since he was pretty tall. 

“Tsk tsk. More guesses!” He playfully demanded and you shrugged. “Are you a swimmer?” He waited for a second, giving you a tiny bit of hope, before making a loud buzzer noise and frustrating you all over again. 

“Can’t you just tell me,” You whined, “My car is right there.” 

“Fine. I’m a volleyball player,” He proudly stood with his hands on his sides and you couldn’t help but laugh. “Hey, I’m serious!” He chided, “I play for MSBY Black Jackals.” 

You looked at him apologetically and confessed, “I don’t know much about volleyball, sorry. Maybe I can come to one of your games.” It wasn’t an empty promise like you usually made, you were genuinely curious to see how Bokuto performed. The goofy aura you were getting from him in the brief five minutes of your encounter wasn’t clicking with you that Bokuto could possibly take a sport seriously. 

“We have a match coming up actually, that’s why I’m here training before my team training.” Your hand was on the car door handle and your keys were already in your hand. 

As you slid into your seat, you promised, “Thanks! I’ll look you up and find some tickets!” Bokuto winked and waved goodbye as you shut your door and drove out of the parking lot. 

As soon as you got to work, you typed Bokuto’s name into Google and hummed as you scrolled through his Wikipedia page. 

“Impressive,” You murmured, browsing some photos of him. When you heard some movement behind you, you urgently clicked out of the tab and switched to a tab, pretending to be productive. 

You didn’t know how to read any stats, but judging from the fact that he was one of the top five players in Japan when he was a third-year in high school, he certainly seemed to be a talented player. 

Maybe he would be at the gym again tomorrow morning and you could see him again. He was kind enough to walk you to your car and you at least wanted to buy him a coffee or something. 

The next morning, you arrived at the same time and made it halfway through your workout when Bokuto skipped in through the doors. 

You finished a set of arm workouts and jogged over to where Bokuto was doing bench presses. 

“Good morning,” You mustered up some energy to sound chipper. He seemed wide awake and fully alert, from the huge grin on his face. 

“Hey hey hey! Dig through my bag, will ya? I snagged two tickets to my next game!” Bokuto cocked his head towards his duffle bag and you squatted to carefully search for the tickets.

His bag was an absolute mess. His earphones were in a hopeless tangle, there were random mismatched socks, crumpled receipts, and multiple articles of clothing of various states of cleanliness. Under some condoms, which you gently pushed aside with a finger, you found the tickets, paper-clipped together. 

“Found them!” You waved them, leaning over him. “Coffee after working out? It’s on me.” 

“Hell yeah!” He cheered and you triumphantly refocused on your workout for the remainder of an hour. 

Bokuto patiently waited for you to shower and the two of you set off to the nearest coffee shop. 

“I’ll bring my friend with me this Saturday,” You quipped, excited to have a day out with your busy friend for once. You turned the tickets over in your hand, smiling. Bokuto was pleased at the sight.

Your drinks were barely touched as Bokuto and you chatted about your jobs, your university days and his lack thereof, and about your families. There was something so comfortable about him as a person that you were a fountain of information freely flowing. 

“Let’s go on another date,” Bokuto interrupted you as you were rambling on about the bitter taste of the drink you had chosen. You were blindsided since you hadn’t considered this to really be a date. 

“Huh?” You just stared at him for a couple of seconds, studying his face. He was like a puppy, eagerly awaiting your response. You couldn’t say no. Here you had been blabbing with him for nearly 30 minutes, despite the fact that you had work in five minutes and it was at least a 20 minutes subway ride away. “Deal.” You finally breathed and he lifted his eyebrows suggestively. “I’m sorry but I’m late for work,” You rose from your seat and Bokuto mirrored your movements. 

He escorted you to the subway station, pouting when you disappeared down the stairs. 

One year later, you were at the gym, doing some squats with weights when a man tapped on your shoulder. You removed your headphones and asked, “Can I help you?” 

“Sorry to bother you, but that man over there was staring at you and seemed to be taking photos,” The man discreetly pointed to Bokuto, who was in a fit of giggles. 

You rolled your eyes at Bokuto and turned to the man. “Thank you for your concern, but that’s actually my idiot boyfriend.” The man laughed and stepped away, amused. 

A firm slap to Bokuto’s shoulder blades made him wince and frown. “You just look so damn sexy in those leggings,” Bokuto whined and you sighed. 

“Don’t act like a creep! That man was worried about me,” You lectured him like a child and he pouted, sulking into the seat of the exercise equipment. His giddy mood was rapidly slipping away and you rushed to say, “I do love your attention though,” and planted a kiss on his lips.

He immediately blossomed into his signature grin. “Don’t make me rip those leggings off you later,” Bokuto’s low voice made all the warmth in your body rush down. 

“Maybe you should,” You winked and quickly avoided his outstretched hand attempting to snatch your waist.

Ignoring his whines, you finished your workout with Bokuto’s eyes following your ass the entire time. You definitely weren’t showering at the gym today and you definitely were going to be sore working out tomorrow morning. 

Scratch that, you wouldn’t be showing up to workout tomorrow morning, judging from the unerasable smirk on his face as you resumed your squats.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading as always! *Side note, I am convinced Bokuto is an ass man.*


	5. Kageyama Tobio

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You never worry about breakfast anymore, ever since a mysterious classmate started leaving breakfast on your desk each morning. Strawberry milk was already sweet, but whoever left it for you was sweeter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soft Tobio makes me melt!!! Here's to another 4am post

There it was, a carton of that sweet, sweet strawberry milk on your desk again. Every Monday, it was a carton of strawberry milk. Tuesdays? Banana milk. Wednesdays? A refreshing can of coffee. Thursdays? A carton of milk. Fridays? A steamed red bean bun, fresh from Sakanoshita Store.

It had been a month of the daily treats waiting for you, mysteriously showing up before you managed to arrive at school. The earliest you came was 30 minutes before school started, but still, to no avail. Whoever was feeding you breakfast wanted to remain anonymous. 

Before the treats appeared, you had a thirty-minute bike ride to school and you much preferred sleeping in than eating breakfast. After nearly passing out from low blood sugar after forgetting to eat for nearly a day, the entire class had learned of your horrible morning habit. 

It had to be someone in your class. Excluding yourself, that was 24 students. Whoever it was, you wanted to thank, because seeing something waiting for you each morning automatically made you grin. 

Today was no different. You slid into your chair and stabbed the carton of strawberry milk before taking a long sip. With your eyes closed, you reclined in your seat, savoring the cloyingly sweet drink. Then it hit you. You could write a note and leave it on your desk for the person to find. With luck, it would remain on the desk until the morning for the person to find. 

At the end of the day, you remained in your seat as your classmates filed out, to scribble the note. 

Thank you for all the delicious drinks and the steam buns every morning! I’d really love to thank you in person though~ If you’re up for it, meet me at the top of the stairs by the door to the school roof before school starts.

Folding the small piece of paper into a little frog, you taped it to the center of your desk, finishing the note with a small smiley face. 

You pedaled a little harder the next morning, eager to see if your note had been taken. Even better would be if there was another note waiting for you, but you didn’t want to get your hopes up. Considering that this person had no other means of communication with you for a month, other than the daily treat, they certainly weren’t the bold type. 

There was an undeniable bounce in your step as you approached your desk. The banana milk was there, but no note. Snatching the banana milk as you plopped down in your seat, you stabbed the carton and brought it to your mouth, only to catch something on the carton. Pulling back, you examined the carton. In blue pen was undeniably the handwriting of your breakfast fairy. 

See you upstairs. With a huge smile across your face, you rushed out of the classroom, clutching the banana milk in your right hand. By the time you reached the fourth floor, you were slightly out of breath. One more floor and you would finally meet the mysterious provider of breakfast. One last sip of the banana milk to relax you and you were good to go. 

You tiptoed up the stairs and caught a glimpse of someone tall, leaning against the access door to the school roof. You catalogued through every single student from your class and eliminated all but seven who were tall enough. One more glance and you confirmed they had short hair, most likely a boy. Four students. 

“Are you coming up?” A deep voice rang out and you yelped as you climbed the rest of the stairs. 

Kageyama Tobio was leaning against the wall, sipping on a carton of milk. This was certainly not the person you were expecting. No prior interactions between you two made you strangers to one another, even if you were in the same class. 

“Thank you!” You quipped, taking a sip of banana milk to fill the silence. “You probably spent so much money on the drinks and food.” You felt guilty and could only train your eyes on your feet. 

Kageyama Tobio was an intense person, from what you knew. To him, the volleyball club was more important than school, friends, and probably everything else in life. At least, that’s the impression you got from being friends with Yamaguchi. 

“I wanted to,” Kageyama countered and your eyes trailed up to meet his. Even his staring was intense. It felt like he had x-ray vision and could every single minute movement of your face. Currently, you were desperately trying to avoid blushing, but his eyes were trained on your face, making you burn. 

“Well,” You cleared your throat but could barely muster up a whisper. “I’ll buy you milk every day after school. You always seem to grab one before practice and before games,” You blurted out. What you really wanted to do was to take him to a nice dinner, but your brain’s gears had stopped turning the second you realized it was Kageyama. 

“Deal,” He grinned, which was almost disturbing since it was a sight never seen by anyone that you knew. Maybe the volleyball team had seen him crack a smile once or twice, but no one else had. 

The two of you descended the stairs in electric silence, separating to your seats for the remainder of the day without exchanging another word. 

There you were, at the end of the day, standing by the boy’s volleyball club room with Kageyama’s milk carton in hand. The boys rambunctiously clamored down the stairs, shoving each other and chatting away. 

Yamaguchi waved as he passed and you smiled, before your eyes traveled back to the stairs, where Kageyama was. 

Your hand didn’t tremble as you offered the milk to him. “Have a great practice!” You cheered, before jogging away. 

For another month, the exchange continued. Kageyama brought you breakfast and you brought him milk before practice. And for a month, you nurtured a fondness for Kageyama. 

Kageyama had the tact to learn that you fainted from low blood sugar. He took that information and then proceeded to buy you breakfast every morning to make sure you started the day off content. He cracked a smile each time he saw you waiting for him. On days you also had club activities, he walked with you to your bus stop, waiting for you at the school gates after his practice ended. You went to his volleyball games, milk in your bag. You hugged him when they won and waited for him at the school until he blew off steam spiking ball after ball. A brush of your hair here and there and lingering glances during class stoked the fire inside you.

Here you were again, milk in your hand, heart thumping as Kageyama jogged towards you. He grinned as he took the milk from you and as he turned to leave, you called out desperate, “Kageyama, wait.” 

He stopped dead in his tracks and everything felt like it was moving in slow motion when he turned around. “I like you.” 

Both of you were frozen. At least he wasn’t laughing at you. Maybe you preferred that since it’d bring closure. Instead, you were staring at each other. Hinata was bouncing towards you and Kageyama, but when Sugawara yanked him away by the collar of his shirt, Hinata yelped and was dragged away to the gym. 

“Okay, you’re going to be late for practice,” You exhaled, not realizing you had been holding your breath waiting for Kageyama’s reaction. “If you don’t feel the same way, just don’t leave me a steamed bun on my desk tomorrow morning.” You rushed off, not bothering to see the faint blush blooming on Kageyama’s face.

That night, you tossed and turned, continuously debating whether or not there would be a steamed bun on your desk. With the chance that there wouldn’t be one, you snuck out to the kitchen in the middle of the night to stuff a granola bar into the front pocket of your backpack. 

You almost didn’t want to go to school that day, but the need for closure dragged you out of bed, all the way to school. With the most neutral expression you could muster, you opened the classroom door. Your eyes zeroed in on the steamed bun on your desk. You bit your lip to suppress the smile, but it was impossible. Your eyes scanned for Kageyama but he was nowhere to be found in the classroom. Abandoning your backpack at your desk and picking up the bun, you ran up the stairs to where the two of you first met. 

“Hi,” He breathed, pulling you into his arms with a firm tug of your school bow. His arms were wrapped tightly around yours and ever so carefully, your fingertips danced up his back to hug him back, still holding the bun in one hand.

Kageyama buried his face in your shoulder and you were extremely thankful that he wasn’t seeing the foolish smile on your face. 

“Hey,” You untangled from him and took a satisfying bite out of your bun, “Let’s go on a date.”

His hand was clasping yours and already he looked like he wanted to permanently etch this moment into his memory. He nodded eagerly at your offer and you beamed. It didn’t look like Kageyama cared about missing class, so you wrangled him downstairs, but only after you gave him a quick kiss on his cheek. 

“Thanks for the bun,” You winked as he passed you to go to his seat. 

Of all days, the vending machine was out of milk today. You kicked and shook the machine for thirty seconds before quickly giving up. Empty-handed, you headed to catch Kageyama before practice. 

You didn’t know how big Kageyama was on public displays of affection, so you were stiff as he approached you. 

“Hey,” Kageyama captured your hand and swung it casually.

“The vending machine ran out of milk!” You complained, “I’m sorry!” To your surprise, Kageyama was laughing. 

“You’re adorable,” Kageyama poked your forehead and you frowned. “I don’t need milk every day you know. Seeing you before practice is enough.” That absolutely melted you. 

“Fine, but I’ll get you milk for after practice from Coach Ukai’s store,” You pecked him on the cheek and ran away before Kageyama could stop you. 

Sweet as strawberry milk. That was you and Kageyama in the volleyball club’s eyes, as they watched the two of you quibble over a carton of milk.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Kudos, comments, and suggestions are appreciated as always!


	6. Yamaguchi Tadashi

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A school project finally gives you the opportunity to approach Yamaguchi, but just when you're getting closer, he acts as if you don't exist.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yamaguchi is baby and I just wanna hug him!!!

“You’ll be paired with Yamaguchi for the winter break project,” Your teacher announced and you immediately turned around to make eye contact with him. A small wave from him and you smiled in return, excited to finally have an opportunity to talk to him. 

When you learned that Yamaguchi would be in your class this year, like every year since middle school, you swore that you would ask him out. Not once did you ever muster up the courage to do so. 

After class, you glided over to Yamaguchi’s desk, perching on top of Tsukishima’s empty one next to him. “Hi,” You extended to shake his hand, and his gentle smile made you blush as he shook your hand. Firm but gentle. His hands were soft, until like that of a volleyball player. 

He greeted you in return before listing his volleyball club-related responsibilities during winter break. You were listening half-heartedly, more focused on staring at the adorable freckles on his cheeks. “So, does today and tomorrow after school work for you? I think between us, we’ll get it done in two days!” You nodded excitedly and scribbled your phone number on the open notebook on his desk. 

Tsukishima sauntered over, clearing his throat, incredibly annoyed at you sitting on his desk. “Oh sorry,” You hopped off, unknowingly blushing from catching Yamaguchi stare at you in your peripheral vision. 

The bell forced you to return to your seat and you swished your hips slightly more as you walked away from Yamaguchi, delighted to work with him for the next two days. 

To your disappointment, the project was too easy. It was complete that very day, taking only two hours at your house. Using the need to review it, you convinced Yamaguchi to return the next day, but even then, it only took an hour. Now you were sulking in your room, ignoring your mom’s calls for dinner, with no brilliant excuse to see Yamaguchi until the new year began. 

Your luck returned on a snowy January night. Your younger sister begged you to go to the convenience store and buy her some snacks since your parents were on a weekend trip. “Pretty please? I’ll give you my allowance!” She adorably shook her piggy bank in front of you, standing on her tiptoes to try and reach your face. How could you say no? 

It would be a quick trip to Sakanoshita Store, so you didn’t bother to bundle up. That was a grave mistake. Your teeth were chattering uncontrollably as you burst into the warmth of Sakanoshita Store. Sighing, you basked in the toasty warm air slowly thawing you, throwing your head back, and closing your eyes to savor the precious heat. You were completely oblivious to the group of boys staring at you like an alien. 

“Ahem,” Daichi cleared his throat and your eyes snapped open. Suddenly you felt absolutely naked, with only a loose T-shirt, sweatpants, slides, and the eyes of the entire Karasuno Volleyball Club on you. 

“Hello,” You squeaked, waving awkwardly at the group before ducking around the corner into the snack aisle. Under the direction of Sugawara, conversation among the boys resumed and you relaxed, leaning against a shelf to catch a breath. 

It was absolutely embarrassing to have Yamaguchi see you like this. However, he was unavoidable, so after darting around the store to select your sister’s list of snacks, you waddled to the counter, arms full of chips, chocolate, and other treats. 

“Will that be all?” Coach Ukai asked, mindlessly scanning the barcodes. You nodded and unconsciously rubbed your arms crossed, already dreading the cold you’ll have to face. 

After paying Coach Ukai, you strategically looped your hands through all five plastic bags and lifted them off the counter. The bags were momentarily abandoned on the floor while you tied your hair back, but when you looked down, the bags were missing. Your eyes trailed up to see Yamaguchi managing all the bags while holding out his jacket for you. 

“Put this on and let me walk you home, it’s freezing.” Wordlessly, you pulled his jacket over you, zipping it halfway. 

“Nope,” Yamaguchi scolded, dropping the bags to pull the zipper up all the way. “You’re going to catch a cold.” You blushed as Nishinoya and Tanaka whooped. 

“Look at Yamaguchi!” 

“Such a gentleman!” 

Both of you were blushing uncontrollably as you shared the burden of carrying the bags and walked out of the store, ignoring the excited chatter of the volleyball club. 

The snow was falling gently, blanketing the empty streets. Paired with the orange glow of the streetlights, you marveled at the soft features of Yamaguchi’s face, glancing at him ever so often. 

“Thank you for helping me out, I really appreciate it.” You didn’t mean to whisper, but you were more conscious of disruptions to the silence of the night than usual due to the atmosphere the snowy night created. “My little sister insisted on snacks since my parents are away for the weekend.” 

Yamaguchi laughed softly, “You’re welcome. Your sister has the right idea.” 

The walk was too short too. Yamaguchi handed the remainder of the groceries over to you in front of the steps of your house. When you attempted to awkwardly shed his jacket, he refused. “You can return it to me at school,” He held the gate of your house open for you as you thanked him profusely and dashed into your house. 

On the first day of school in the new year, you placed Yamaguchi’s neatly folded jacket onto his desk.

“How lame,” Tsukishima commented, rolling his eyes at you. 

“No one asked for your input, Tsukishima,” You retorted, turning sharply away from him. Yamaguchi passed by as you returned to your seat, with a simple nod in your direction. 

After that day, the interactions between you and Yamaguchi were fleeting. Despite numerous attempts to engage him in conversations about schoolwork, volleyball, and other club activities, Yamaguchi offered curt replies and always rushed off with Tsukishima or made a useless excuse to leave. Defeated, you gave up trying and a cold, mutual ignorance was wordlessly established between the two of you. 

Your teacher was your saving grace. One person from the group would receive the project back, forcing you to interact with Yamaguchi after class ended to learn your grade. Although you anticipated a high grade, you just wanted an excuse to talk to Yamaguchi again. 

“Hello,” You approached Yamaguchi’s desk hesitantly and Tsukishima muttered that he would wait for Yamaguchi in the volleyball club room as he exited the classroom. 

“Here’s our feedback.” You silently skimmed over the sentences while Yamaguchi stared out the window. 

“Yamaguchi,” Your voice forced Yamaguchi to look at you again, but his expression was indecipherable. “Why are you ignoring me?” It was a difficult question for you to ask, but a necessary one. “I like you and want to hang out with you more, but that seems to be the last thing you want to do.” When he didn’t answer, you added, “You always run away from me.” 

A look of horror washed over Yamaguchi’s face. “I thought,” He stuttered, “I thought you liked Tsukishima.” 

“What?! Why on earth would you think that?” You really didn’t have a clue as to how Yamaguchi formed this absurd conclusion.

“Well, ever since elementary school, any time a girl wanted to befriend me, they used me to get close to Tsukki, I guess, I just assumed you were the same,” Yamaguchi trailed off when he felt the anger and annoyance radiating from you. 

You had a list of things to say to Yamaguchi, yet you settled with a simple but stern, “You shouldn’t be so insecure,” as you walked away. 

At home, you buried your face into your pillow, screaming to release some steam. Although your sister jumped on your bed in an attempt to drag you into a game of Twister with her friends, you waved her off, citing that you needed to be alone right now. 

When your door swung open again, you were ready to snap at your little sister, only to face Yamaguchi. Your head dropped back onto your pillow and you screamed one last frustrated scream before sitting up like nothing happened just seconds prior.

“Your sister let me in,” Yamaguchi announced to fill the silence. You snorted, reminding yourself to review the concept of Stranger Danger with your sister. “And, you’re right. I am really insecure. I’ve never had someone like me back.” 

“There’s so much to like about you?” You cocked your head, confused. “I simply don’t see why you can’t see that.” 

You patted the spot on the bed next to you, motioning for Yamaguchi to sit down. He complied, plopping down. “I thought I was imagining you liking me,” Yamaguchi confessed, blushing when you grabbed his hand to hold in yours. 

“No offense, but Tsukishima is an asshole,” You huffed, “I would never like him.”

“Sorry, again.”

Your eyes twinkled as a brilliant plan struck you. “Let’s go on a date. Tomorrow after school. You. Me. The cute coffee shop my friend works at.” You punctuated each phrase with a poke of his cheek. “That is the least you can do.” 

Yamaguchi scrunched his face and agreed, “It’s a date.” 

Realizing that he was missing practice, Yamaguchi bolted up and apologized as he rushed to the door. 

“Hey!” You called after him when he was halfway out the door, stopping him in his tracks. Barefoot, you jogged to him, planted a quick kiss on his lips and subtly pushed him towards the gate. “Have a great practice!” You leaned against your door with your arms crossed, watching Yamaguchi as he ran down the hill towards Karasuno. 

“Can’t stop smiling?” Your little sister had crept to your side, batting her eyes. Just as you were about to launch a lecture on opening doors for strangers, your sister’s turned her nose and muttered, “Save me the lecture, I just started your relationship, you know!” 

Sighing, you simply ruffled her hair and joined her for a game of Twister, unable to deny that she was the reason you were finally going on a date with Yamaguchi Tadashi.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading and as always, kudos and comments are welcome!


	7. Sugawara Koushi

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sweet as sugar, Sugawara is your childhood best friend. Can best friends become lovers easily?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My final year of uni has started so forgive me if updates aren't regular!

“Rough day?” You dangled your legs over the counter, teasingly kicking Sugawara. His frustration wasn’t too visible on his face, but here he was, at your work right after practice ended, without an announcement. It became a habit for Sugawara to walk you home after your shift ever since your ex-boyfriend had suddenly shown up six months ago. 

A soft, melancholy smile ghosted his lips and you reached out to pull him into a hug. “I finally got in some minutes playing today, but,” he trailed off, burying his face in your shoulder. Your fingers ran through his silver hair, focusing on his shaky breaths as silent tears landed on your covered shoulder. 

Your parents floated past the two of you, well aware that Sugawara was struggling with the appearance of Kageyama, a genius first-year setter. As best friends since elementary school, your family had attended plenty of Sugawara’s volleyball games, only to see him less and less on the court over time. Still, you supported the team and attended the games, even when Sugawara wasn’t playing. Instead, you practiced with him and with his encouragement, joined the Karasuno girl’s volleyball team in your first year.

“Let me walk with you,” you offered, motioning to your parents that you would be leaving with Sugawara. Your mom rolled her eyes, but a wink from your dad released you from working at the bar tonight. 

Strolling through the streets, Sugawara led you around the block of his house for ten minutes, his lips pressed tightly together. His hand was firmly gripping yours and you gently swung your connected arms, respecting his silence. 

“Do you remember my first game?” Sugawara’s sudden voice startled you slightly. Looking up into his eyes, you grinned at the memory. 

“How can I forget? You begged my parents to let me stay the night at your house so I could follow you all day,” you momentarily released his hand to tie your hair up, earning a glance from him. 

“I didn’t sleep a wink that night because I made you watch that horror movie,” Sugawara chuckled. “You clung onto me all night.” 

“It’s not my fault!” You complained, smacking his shoulder, “I was seven years old and still slept with a night light.” 

Sugawara’s mood seemed to improve, so you continued to talk about the fond childhood memories you shared. “Remember the Christmas Day sleepover in 3rd grade?” 

“Remember the three-day camping trip we went on in 6th grade?” 

The two of you danced back and forth, teasing each other with embarrassing memories of the countless nights you had stayed up, secretly hiding under blankets and feigning sleep. 

You were about to bring up the joint family vacation to an onsen three years ago when Sugawara interrupted you. “We don’t sleep together anymore,” he plainly stated, while you were taken aback. 

“Well,” you began to stutter, but Sugawara cut you off again. 

“I’m too... safe. Too average.” Immediately, you wanted to retaliate and disprove him, but Sugawara continued, “I thought being me was good enough. I know how Asahi and Daichi are on the court. I know you inside out.” At this point, your confusion intensified as the lines between volleyball and your relationship with him blurred. 

Nothing was stopping Sugawara now. “I didn’t fight for my spot with Kageyama fiercely enough. I never fought for you when you dated that asshole last year. So now, I’m empty-handed.” 

The mention of your ex-boyfriend struck a nerve. “Koushi,” you warned, barely keeping your voice steady, “Don’t.” His eyes flickered towards you, uncharacteristically cold. 

“I should’ve told you what I knew about him. I should’ve warned you,” he shook his head, his hands now in tight fists, “I’m sick of being selfless.” The intensity in Sugawara’s eyes that you had only seen on the court was all you could focus on. “Why does no one ever choose me? Why don’t you choose me?” His voice was thick and his breathing was heavy. 

As much as you wanted to comfort Sugawara, that was equally matched by the anger bubbling inside of you, with memories of your ex-boyfriend flooding your brain. All you could muster was a cold goodbye before running down the few blocks to your house. 

“He didn’t choose me in the end either,” you sobbed into your pillow, collapsing into your bed, ignoring the endless stream of notifications disturbing your phone. 

Your ex-boyfriend had been a friend of Sugawara’s from his middle school volleyball team. The three of you never hung out together, but a year ago, on the first day of high school at Karasuno, he had confessed to you. With the first boy giving you any attention and him being attractive, you immediately jumped at the chance to enter high school with a boyfriend. Big mistake. Less than two months later, when you refused to have sex with him, he pretended to comfort you and understand, only to cheat on you and sleep with other girls on the volleyball team. The day you caught him with your own teammate kneeling in front of him with his pants around his ankles in the storage room, you left the volleyball team and cried in Sugawara’s arms for hours, forcing him to miss practice.

The notifications weren’t slowing down. Cracking under the pressure, you reluctantly peeked at your phone to see twenty texts from Sugawara. The most recent text was begging you to come outside. 

Sitting against your bed on the floor of your room, you buried your head in your hands. Suppressing any thought of your ex, you recalled Sugawara’s words. “Why don’t you choose me?” 

“Shit,” you muttered and hurried down the stairs, throwing yourself into the street and clutching onto Sugawara’s arms at his side. Shaking him, you nearly screamed, “Koushi, do you like me?” You must have looked deranged with your eyes darting up and down his frame. 

“You’re blind,” Sugawara sighed, wrestling out of your hands, leaving you frozen in place. 

“Koushi, I don’t know if I like you,” you whispered, horrified at your own indecision. “You’re the best guy I know, and yet,” you hesitated, “I’m still scared.” Neither of you moved. “I’m scared to choose you. I think I want to choose you. I just need some time, okay?” 

With a curt nod, Sugawara left you, clearly discontent with your response. You retreated back to your room, unable to sleep all night. 

The next day at school was visibly awkward between you two. Daichi noticed by the end of the first period, rushing over to your desk to question you on what happened between Sugawara and you. You waved him off, ignoring further questions from Nishinoya, Tanaka, and Hinata throughout the day. 

That night, you were wiping down the bar counter at the end of your shift. Your parents’ bar was open for another four hours so you prepared to walk home alone for the first time in months. 

The night air was brisk, drawing a chill from you. Your breath was visible in the air and hugging yourself, you began the 10-minute walk to your house. 

Only two blocks away from the bar and the hairs on your neck stood up, your ears simultaneously catching footsteps running towards you. Every gruesome and horrific scenario was conjured up in your mind, ranging from a psycho serial killer to your stalker ex. You never liked the dark. 

Clenching your fists, you prepared to sharply turn and land a solid punch in the creep’s face. 

“You didn’t wait up,” Sugawara’s voice called out, your shoulders immediately reacting and sagging. A sob escaped from your lips and you steeled yourself to turn around, wiping away the stray tears down your cheeks. 

Crushing yourself into his chest, you clung onto him, shaking like a leaf against him. Sugawara’s rhythmic breaths guided you to sync your staggered breathing with his. After a few minutes and two hiccups, you murmured into his chest, “I chose you years ago as my friend. I know that’s not enough right now, but...”

A hand stroking the back of your head silenced you. “Take your time. I can be selfless for you.” For that, you were grateful.

“So let’s go over this again,” Daichi instructed and you nodded. 

Sitting on the steps in front of the gym, you began to recite, “One. I have known Sugawara for twelve years. Two. He has never hurt me. Three. I love being with him. Four. He likes me and has been waiting for my answer patiently. Therefore, I should stop being a baby bitch and confess to him that I like him too.” You turned to look at Daichi, who was beaming, proud. 

“I cannot believe it has taken you more than a day to come to this conclusion, but I forgive you because you’re adorable,” Daichi ruffled your hair and you ducked around him. “Here he comes!” Daichi pushed you to get up and softly kicked you in Sugawara’s direction.

Sugawara steadied you and smiled that angelic smile of his that tore down all your defenses. The same smile you saw countless times during the many sleepovers you shared, the volleyball practices, and family vacations. 

“Hi,” you breathed and like that, he just knew. 

“I’m filling in for Kageyama for the practice game against Nekoma today since he has a fever, but I’ll see you later?” You nodded meekly as Sugawara pulled you into a quick hug before jogging to the volleyball club room. 

You were swamped with customers at the bar, paying no mind to the calls for you. It wasn’t until Sugawara jumped the bar and crushed his lips to yours that you realized he was the one calling you. Still clutching onto the mixer and a bottle of vodka, you slipped your tongue past Sugawara’s lips, greedy. 

Barely, Sugawara pulled away to whisper in your ear, “Sleepover tonight? I’m pretty sure your parents just saw us.” The mischievous glint in his eyes lit a fire within you. 

Pulling him towards you by his shirt, you whispered back innocently, “You better make it worth the wait.” Sugawara jumped back over the bar to wait the five minutes left on your shift, you shouted to him, “I’ll always choose you,” as you lifted a glass in his direction before placing it in front of your customer with a wink.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading! Kudos and comments help to keep me going!


	8. Azumane Asahi

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We all know Asahi is a gentle giant with notorious rumors, but what Asahi didn't know was how terrifying you could be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warning: An attempted physical/sexual assault by a drunk creep.

No one terrified Asahi more than you. By physical appearances only, people would think otherwise, but the Karasuno Volleyball Club knew how dangerous you could be. 

The night of losing to Aoba Johsai, you followed the team to the dinner afterward and were forced to watch as your best friends choked down the food with tears streaming down their faces silently. Despite the jolly mood that would follow after a fulfilling meal, the boys loitered by the entrance of the restaurant, their feet planted firmly to the ground. 

“Let’s go,” you begged the boys, fingers wrapped around Daichi and Asahi’s arms. “We have school tomorrow and it’s already late.” If you could talk sense into these two, the remainder of the boys would follow suit. After more desperate looks and tugs of his arm, Daichi croaked, “Go home, guys. I’ll see you tomorrow.” 

The third-year boys and you watched as the others dragged their feet home, still in shock over their loss. You stared longingly at their shrinking figures, wishing that there was something you could do to lift their dampened spirits. 

“We’ll walk you home,” Daichi placed a hand on your shoulder from behind and you reached to pat him. 

“Don’t worry about me. Go home and get some rest,” you forced a smile onto your face, so wide that it hurt your cheeks. Sugawara and Daichi insisted, but you waved them off, jogging away from them so they could get the rest they deserved after the Inter-high games.

Five minutes of walking later, your ears perked up at the shuffling of feet behind you. A deep groan echoed from a nearby alleyway and the hairs on your arms stood straight. You contemplated whether to just book it all the way to your house, but with all the food churning in your stomach, you decided against it. 

In the blink of an eye, thick arms draped over your shoulders and the stench of alcohol rolled over you in waves as a mouth pressed to your ear whispered, “What are you doing out all by yourself, sweetheart?” 

You rolled your eyes as the hands crept down to your breasts and you warned, “Better get your hands off of me, mister. That is unless you want your bones smashed to pieces.” The fingers pressed down on your breasts and with brute force, you hunched over, grabbed his arm, and threw him over you. 

With a thud, the man was splayed on the floor, howling in pain. For good measure, you laid a foot on his throat. “National judo athlete, bastard,” you cackled and increased the pressure on your foot. He squirmed under you and you kicked his chin up before returning both your feet to the ground. 

Footsteps thundered towards you and you instinctively positioned yourself to fight more drunk guys. Instead, you laughed as Asahi barreled towards you. 

“Are you okay?” Asahi enveloped you into his arms, cradling you and forcing you to look away from the man passed out on the ground. 

“I’m fine,” you croaked, tapped on his chest to get him to ease his grip. “He should’ve known better than to touch me.” Asahi had a puzzled look on his face but didn’t question you. Instead, he led you away, his eyes darting back to ensure the man wasn’t getting up any time soon. 

“We should move him,” you announced, “Unless we want him to get run over by a car.” Asahi complied, leaving the man slouching on a telephone pole before returning to your side. 

“How,” he trailed off, staring at you. You were a foot shorter than him and yet you had managed to throw a drunk man, probably a good 50 pounds heavier than you, onto the ground. No wonder the poor kid was at a loss for words. 

“Judo athlete,” you pointed to yourself and poked him as you said, “Volleyball player.” 

“You’re terrifying,” Asahi shook his head, his response making you laugh. “Think you can knock me down?” 

You gave him the ‘are you serious’ look, the one you gave so often to Nishinoya and Tanaka. “Bring it on. Tomorrow before practice. I’ll make you regret those words,” you glanced at him with a mischievous grin and a low chuckle from you made Asahi step back. 

Asahi walked alongside you in a comfortable silence, mulling over how he failed to discover that you were a mixed martial artist. From just another student, you were painted in a whole new light. 

As he was thrashing on the floor of the gymnasium the next day, Asahi seriously regretted underestimating you. With his arm pulled behind him in a vice grip and you comfortably straddling him, restraining him from throwing you onto the ground, Asahi furiously pounded the ground. 

“Holy shit,” Kageyama muttered, his eyes fixated on Asahi curled up into a ball on the ground. 

You stood and stretched before offering a hand out for Asahi to stand. 

“Have a great practice!” You waved before skipping out of the gymnasium, leaving the volleyball club in your dust. As you passed Coach Ukai, he briefly acknowledged you with a nod and you smiled back. 

Ukai had specifically instructed the boys to rest today, but knowing them, he decided to swing by the gymnasium. While he expected them to be training, he certainly wasn’t expecting what he walked into. 

Asahi was in a fetal position in the center of the court with Sugawara prodding his side. Kageyama and Hinata were shouting-debating and Nishinoya and Tanaka were dancing around in circles. The remainder of the team was leaning against the wall, watching the chaos unfold. 

“What is going on here?” Ukai demanded answers, looking expectantly at Daichi and Ennoshita. 

Simultaneously, the chorus of boys whispered, “She happened.” 

All throughout practice, Asahi was replaying how you pinned him to the ground, unable to erase the feeling of you on top of him. 

For the next week, every time Asahi saw you, he blushed. His cheeks were bright pink and he huddled to Nishinoya’s side to avoid you. It was endearing. 

Your opportunity came when Asahi was sitting on a windowsill at the back of the classroom. You yanked the book out of his hands and perched onto his lap, shifting to straddle him, facing him. Capturing his face between your hands, you leaned in and whispered, “Hey Asahi? I dare you to kiss me.” 

While Asahi stuttered meaningless words, you fixated on features of Asahi’s face. His eyelashes were longer than yours, beautifully and naturally curled, his chocolate brown eyes were busy avoiding yours, and for a change, he was freshly shaven. 

You were mesmerized by his face when Asahi gently tipped your chin up to kiss you. His lips were soft and cautious, pulling away after two seconds, but you pulled him back towards you, sealing your lips together again. 

The eyes of your classmates were searing into your back, so you pulled away with an unerasable grin on your face. 

“You know, you usually, my parents would say if you hurt me, they’ll hurt you, but I think I can hurt you myself,” you wiggled your brows to draw Asahi’s attention away from all the attention he was receiving. 

“You are a force of nature and I wouldn’t dare such a thing.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always thank you for reading! Comments and kudos are always welcome and appreciated!


	9. Oikawa Tooru

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When two best friends break up, you're stuck in the middle. When you start to like your best friend's boyfriend, things get even more complicated.

Rin hiccupped and sobbed and you squeezed her tightly, silently patting her back in a steady rhythm. “I just can’t believe he would pick me over volleyball,” Rin wailed, wiping away her cheeks with her palms. 

You wanted to be supportive, you really did. Rin was your best friend and she had her heartbroken by Oikawa, but you couldn’t forget how you warned both of them, separately, to not date each other. 

“Can you leave practice early?” Rin begged, her eyes threatening to spill over once again. You glanced back into the gym, where the practice was continuing without you. 

Sighing, you guided the two of you up. “Of course, I’ll take you home. Let me tell my captain, okay?” Rin nodded and you left her momentarily to explain the situation to your captain. She wasn’t happy, but she reluctantly dismissed you. 

What Rin needed was a girl day. A manicure and pedicure. A two-hour hair and spa appointment. Shopping at the expensive boutiques in the city center for lingerie and dresses. To top it all off, expensive dinner at a dizzying height in Sendai.   
Sipping on a non-alcoholic bellini, Rin stared out the window with a near-smile on her face. “Thank you for a wonderful afternoon,” she whispered, clasping your hand from across the table. 

The two of you hugged tightly in front of Rin’s house and you watched as she entered her house. Even though you were exhausted for such a busy afternoon, you pulled out your phone and called Oikawa. 

“Where are you?” You asked, rubbing your eyes and suppressing a yawn. 

“On a run. Meet you in front of the school?” 

You looked at your phone. 11:32 PM. It was late but it wasn’t fair to not see Oikawa tonight. “I’ll see you in ten minutes.” 

Oikawa was sitting on a bus stop bench in front of Aoba Johsai. You sank down, kicking off your shoes and crossing your legs under you. 

“You were right,” Oikawa muttered, “As always.” You threw your head back, expecting to hit your head, but Oikawa’s arm shot out to cushion you. 

“I’m best friends with both of you. I hate to say it, yet I can’t help it. Both of you ignored me,” you huffed, closing your eyes and breathing slowly, “I’m sorry but there was just no way it could’ve worked out.” 

Oikawa pursed his lips and stared at his feet, cradling his head in his arms, propped on his knees. “I should’ve listened to you,” he sighed. 

How had you known that Oikawa and Rin would never work out? Oikawa needed someone who was content with spending limited time with him, due to volleyball. Volleyball would always be his first priority and he needed a girlfriend who would respect his ambitions. Rin, on the other hand, needed quality time from a boyfriend and plenty of physical affection. With no club activities and being an only child, she needed someone who would keep her company. It was clear to you, as an objective third party, that the two had different love languages and had no common interests. Yet against your advice, they began dating after hooking up in an empty classroom during last month’s sports festival. 

Ah, both were sexually insatiable. That was a common denominator. 

In no mood to lecture, you stood up, holding out a hand for Oikawa. “Come on, I’ll treat you meat buns and ice cream.” He grabbed your hand and tucked it into his jacket pocket, muttering that your hand was ice cold. 

After scarfing down two meat buns, Oikawa insisted that you walk him home, so you obliged. You listened as he bragged about his practice game today, with you occasionally commenting on the efforts of his teammates, especially Iwaizumi. 

On your third comment regarding how Iwaizumi was the ace who delivered the point, Oikawa snapped, “Do you have a thing for Iwa-chan?” Startled, you stepped back, yanking your hand out of his. 

Impulsively, you wanted to bite back. The words nearly left your mouth, but rationality stepped in and you bit your tongue. Instead, you calmly stated, “No, Oikawa. I don’t like Iwaizumi. We’re a block away from your house so I’ll be going now.” Without bothering to observe his reaction, you left Oikawa. 

Physically and emotionally, you were drained. The pillows on your bed drowned out your soft sobs that night. 

When your alarm jerked you awake, you considered, for a second, to skip school for the day. Groaning, you rubbed your eyes and curled up to check the notifications on your phone. With nothing out of the ordinary, you threw the blankets over you and began your morning routine. 

Morning practice was a pain in the ass. The Aoba Johsai girl’s volleyball team did not have morning practice, but the guilt from missing yesterday’s practice convinced you to join the boys’ team. It was a custom that all members of the volleyball team took a part in, substituting into the other’s practices when needed. 

Apologetic Oikawa meant clingy Oikawa. All throughout morning practice, he hovered by your side, during the warm-up jog and stretches, during the practice 3-on-3, and all the way to the locker rooms. He was bright and cheery, definitely overcompensating for his outburst last night. 

It seemed as if he was going to follow you into the girl’s locker room (it wouldn’t be his first time), but Iwaizumi yanked him away by his shirt. 

“I forgive you, okay?” You sighed as you walked out of the locker room, with Oikawa squatting at the side of the doors, waiting for you. With school starting and Rin coming, you didn’t need Oikawa by your side today. 

“See you at lunch?” Oikawa offered and you nodded before shooing him away. 

The days following the breakup were a headache. Juggling spending time with Oikawa and Rin on top of schoolwork, a part-time job as a waitress, and volleyball practice was pushing your limits. 

Your breaking point was when you suffered a nasty ankle injury a week later, during a game against Shiratorizawa. 

“Fuck,” you swore, grasping your right ankle, which was quickly swelling. Tears were prickling your eyes and your teammates surrounded you, guiding you to the ground. Medics came and with their support, you hopped off the court, choking back sobs. 

In the infirmary, your conscious faded in and out as pain shot up your leg while medics were examining you. 

“Hey,” A voice cooed while your vision was blacked out. A hand reached out and clutched yours, tracing soft circles on your palm. 

You didn’t need your sight to know it was Oikawa. “It hurts,” you sobbed, your voice breaking. Your chest heaved and Oikawa swiped away the tears rolling down your cheeks, whispering to comfort you. 

Oikawa accompanied you in the ambulance and in the hospital, fighting with nurses to stick by you when you went in for an x-ray, knowing you would be too anxious to be alone. Your fear of hospitals was ingrained in his mind -- he forced you to trail along to plenty of his hospital visits for his troublesome knee against your wishes. 

After wrapping your ankle in a garish green cast and being prescribed an ample amount of painkillers, Oikawa sat back and watched as you tried your crutches. 

“You look ridiculous,” he snickered and you jutted a crutch towards him, shaking it angrily. 

“Don’t mess with me,” you warned, groaning when you lost your balance and nearly fell over. Oikawa lunged to grab you and soften your fall back onto the chair behind you. “Get off my lap,” you moaned, prying Oikawa’s fingers off of you. 

Oikawa was silent, half kneeling and staring up at you. “Shit,” he muttered before pushing himself off of you and backing into the chair across the room. It was an odd incident, but you brushed it off, too concerned with learning how to use crutches. 

With volleyball out of the question and reduced hours for your work, your routine was whittled down, leaving you with too much spare time. You hoped that Rin would hang out with you more since she constantly complained about you spending too little time with her, but with a new boyfriend wrapped around her finger, Rin didn’t seek you out. 

On the other hand, Oikawa spent too much time with you. You didn’t notice it at first, but within a week of your injury, you noticed anytime Oikawa wasn’t in practice or doing schoolwork, he was with you. 

Whenever you needed to descend the stairs, Oikawa hovered with outstretched arms to catch you if you fell. He insisted on carrying you up and down the stairs but that was embarrassing and Oikawa’s little fanclub would murder you with their eyes on the spot. 

It was the little things he did, like walking beside you as you hobbled home, opening doors, and constantly persuading you to not saw off your own cast, that made your heart flutter whenever Oikawa appeared in your line of sight.

When it came time for you to remove your cast, you dreaded it, fearing that you would lose time with Oikawa. Oikawa didn’t make it to the appointment. The fateful game in which he lost to Karasuno was in full swing as the cast was sawed off and you spent $20 on a cab ride to arrive at Sendai City Gymnasium, just in time to see Aoba Johsai lose. 

A lump in your throat formed as you saw Iwaizumi crying silently and Oikawa trying his damn best to trap the tears in his eyes. When they bowed to thank the crowd, you turned your head, unable to watch. 

You thought that Oikawa would just sulk past, with his eyes glued to the ground. Instead, he grabbed your wrist and pulled you into a hug, nuzzling your shoulder. Instinctively, you patted his head, stroking his hair and rubbing circles on his back. 

“Oikawa, we’re in the way,” you whispered, tugging him into a stairwell, secluded from the eyes of his opponents past and future. 

The two of you clung onto each other, Oikawa’s broken sobs serving as the only sound echoing in your ears.   
When Oikawa finally pulled away, the two of you were forced to take another cab ride home, since Iwaizumi texted that the bus had left without Oikawa after ten minutes of searching for him. 

You requested the cab to drop you off at Oikawa’s and you were ready to give him some peace alone to process, but Oikawa’s hold on you remained tight. 

“Stay with me a while longer,” he begged, his throat raw and eyes red. You nodded, stumbling in with his arms tangled around your waist. 

He pulled you into his bed, tightening his arms around your waist, slowly shifting you to face him. 

Oikawa leaned in and you jerked back, breathing heavily and heart-pounding against your ribcage. 

“Don’t make me your next mistake,” you begged, knowing that his rationality was severely compromised. A one-night stand with Oikawa would be akin to setting off blocks of C-4, an absolute disaster with severe losses. 

“You could never be,” Oikawa whispered, sealing his lips against yours. Your eyes fluttered closed, fearing tomorrow. 

Oikawa peppered kisses all over your face, lingering on your lips and jaw. His slender fingers brushed your hair behind your ear while you were frozen. 

Noticing your discomfort, Oikawa stopped himself, resorting to just wrapping himself around you as he drifted off to sleep. Your breathing steadied as his did, your eyelids closing shut, only to be haunted by a future without Oikawa when his sense returned. 

Both alarms went off yet neither of you stirred. When sunlight hit your eyes, you twisted and turned, freeing yourself from Oikawa’s arms. 

For a moment, you stared at his peaceful face, his beautiful eyes hidden from the world, no longer haunted by the loss of yesterday. His lips were pressed into a line, his hands patting up and down the bed in search of you. When his hand landed on your thigh, he pulled your leg over him, desperate to maintain contact with you. 

“It wasn’t a mistake,” Oikawa murmured, pressing his lips to your ear. “I think I’ve loved you for a while.” 

Your hand trembled as you cupped his cheek, stroking the blush on his cheek with your thumb. “I can’t,” you hoarsely whispered, “be someone’s mistake again. I can’t, Tooru.” 

With conviction, Oikawa captured your face between his hands and stared into your eyes. “You’ll never be a mistake to me, so give us a chance,” he begged, his eyes darting all over your face to search for a flicker of a reaction. 

“I can never say no to you,” you admitted, bravely pulling him into a kiss. Everything felt so perfect in that moment, the way his hands wrapped around your body, the way his lips parted ever so slightly, the way his eyelashes fluttered, and the way his fingers danced on your skin. 

Needing air, you finally pulled apart, slowly panting. Everything was perfect. 

That was until you realized it was 3 PM and school was over. 

The two of you shot up from the bed and screamed, "We're missing practice! We're dead!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading! Comments and kudos are loved!


	10. Hinata Shouyou

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As Natsu's babysitter, you've known Shouyou for years. He's confessed to you yet you saw him as a brother... but could you see him as another boy eventually?

“Natsu,” you called out, immediately hearing the little girl scrambling towards you. As Natsu’s head poked around the corner, you reached your arms out for her to entice a high pitched giggle from her. She barreled towards you and launched herself into your arms, tackling you. You fell back onto the floor, squeezing her just enough so that she would squirm around on top of you. 

“Can we make cookies for Shouyou and his friends? I want him to share them at practice today!” Natsu bounded up and down on your stomach, effectively knocking the wind out of you. Gingerly lifting her off and placing her down beside you, you sat up and patted her head. 

“That is so kind of you, Natsu. Of course, we can.” Leading her to the kitchen, you tied Natsu’s cute red apron around her waist and lifted her up onto the counter. 

It’s been years since you’ve known the Hinata family, not just as their neighbors but as Natsu’s babysitter (and occasionally Shouyou’s since you were two years older). You watched lovingly as Natsu strained to stir the thick mixture, only to pout with puppy dog eyes begging you to help. 

“Can you mix and I’ll make the shapes?” Natsu offered, and you agreed. She giggled and eagerly watched with her hands on her chin as the ingredients combined into a dough in front of her eyes. 

An hour of baking and decorating and a thorough shower later, Natsu and you were walking towards the gymnasium at Karasuno. You had never been interested in volleyball until Shouyou was. While babysitting Natsu, Shouyou had convinced you to toss to him and play keep-ups with the ball occasionally. 

Natsu squealed, yanking her hand out of yours and darting into the gymnasium and straight onto the court. 

“Natsu!” You chased her and quickly scooped her up off the court, apologizing to the team before settling her down on the bench next to Coach Ukai. “Natsu, let’s wait a little bit, okay? Let’s watch Shouyou have fun then we can share the cookies.” Natsu dangled her legs and fixated on the ongoing practice match with Nekoma. 

You made small talk with your friend and manager of the volleyball team, Shimizu for a bit, but devoted much of your attention to Shouyou. It was undeniable how electric he was on the court. His quick attacks with Kageyama, the synchronous attacks, and his shouts of encouragement to his teammates captivated you. You didn’t regret a lot of things, but you did regret rejecting Shouyou last Christmas. 

It was nearly midnight on Christmas day and with a mysterious text from Shouyou begging you to come outside, you had stumbled into a confession. He blurted that he liked you because of how incredible your relationship with his mom and Natsu was before asking you out on a date. In all honesty, you had seen Shouyou as nothing more than a brother then. You couldn’t forget the way his face fell when you apologized, begging him to understand that you loved him too much like a brother to venture into any romance with him. The day after, both of you pretended as nothing happened and since then, neither of you had mentioned that day. 

“Shouyou!” Natsu squealed as the match ended, bounding onto the court and latching onto his legs. You stood up to join the siblings on the court. 

“Thanks for coming,” Shouyou grinned, sweat dripping down his face from the narrow win. Unexpectedly, he wrapped an arm around you, his other occupied by Natsu. It was almost a reflex to give him a quick kiss on the cheek. Both of you froze and you stuttered, “Of course, you were amazing. We made cookies for the team.” 

Shouyou kindly glossed over the peck on his cheek and introduced you and Natsu to the Karasuno and Nekoma players. The boys eagerly reached the bottom of the box of cookies and praised Natsu endlessly for the beautiful cookies, even though their shapes had been wrapped in the oven. 

“You two seem awfully close,” Kuroo mused, joining you at your side while the Karasuno first years played with Natsu on the court, teaching her how to receive the ball. 

“I’ve known him since he was born.” 

“What was that little kiss on the cheek about?” Kemna’s barely audible voice asked, a tinge of an accusatory tone laced within his words. It was possible Kenma was aware of the confession from last Christmas. 

“I’m so affectionate with Natsu so it was just a reflex,” you shrugged the two Nekoma players off. Your own lies sounded unconvincing. 

The walk home was animated by Natsu, who was bragging about how Kageyama promised to teach her how to be the best setter in the whole entire world. At one point, she let it slip how dreamy his eyes were, earning a hearty laugh from you and a scolding from Shouyou. 

“See you tomorrow!” Natsu waved and skipped into the house, wanting to catch the latest episode of her TV show in five minutes, leaving Shouyou and you alone in front. 

“Sorry about the kiss,” you began to apologize, but Shouyou cut you off. 

“Why did you do that?” His voice was cold, but shaky, his eyes unable to meet yours. 

You hesitated to formulate the exact answer, your own feelings a confusing mess inside. At some point, you had started to like him after his confession. It was after his first and last volleyball match in middle school that you developed feelings for him. His preservation and determination inspired you and in those short minutes of the match, Shouyou was no longer like your brother, but a boy your heart skipped a beat for. 

“Shouyou,” you breathed, blood rushing to your ears and your heart pounding against your ribcage. Mustering up the courage, you spilled everything to him. Starting from your regret of rejecting him to liking him now, you concluded with a desperate question, “Will you go out with me?” Two seconds later, you added, “Feel free to reject me too. I deserve it.” 

To your surprise, Shouyou asked, “Can I give you an answer by tomorrow?” You nodded, disheartened slightly at the lack of closure today, but understanding that he needed time to process. 

Things weren’t looking too bright when you passed by Shouyou and Tobio during lunch the next day and Shouyou ignored you. Tobio gave you a curt nod, but Shouyou haphazardly engaged Tobio in a conversation about an English problem, dragging him away into Yachi’s classroom to avoid passing you. 

After school, Natsu had a field trip the next day, so you were busy making sandwiches for Natsu and a handful of her friends at the request of their parents. Natsu sat across the room, scribbling on her homework and you were slicing each sandwich into four small triangles when the door opened and Shouyou strolled in. 

“Hi Shouyou,” Natsu called out and you chimed in, still focused on cutting the four remaining sandwiches. Arms slid around your waist and Shouyou rested his head on your shoulder, drawing a hitched breath from you. He stayed still as you finished cutting the sandwiches and you placed the knife on the counter. 

You turned to face him and leaned back against the counter, lips trembling slightly. “Okay, now I’m confused. You completely ignored me today,” you sighed but pulled him close with your arms around his neck. 

“Sorry,” Shouyou broke out into a wide, mischievous grin, “I know it was mean, but Tsukishima said that you should have a taste of your own medicine. Now that I think about it, I’ll never listen to Tsukishima again.” 

“I’ll take care of Tsukki,” you brushed the thoughts forming on how to get revenge while closing the distance between the two of you. “So, Shouyou, will you go out with me?” 

“Absolutely,” Shouyou’s lips were soft and tasted of the mint chapstick you got him for his birthday a few weeks ago. 

You weren’t kids anymore. His hands wandered down your waist and onto your ass, kneading them while you tangled your fingers in his hair. His tongue slipped into your mouth and he easily dominated, since you were concentrating on suppressing the overwhelming urge to undress him right there in the kitchen.

“Finally!” Natsu’s voice screamed and Shouyou and you sprang apart, blushing furiously. “I was wondering when the two of you would finally kiss,” Natsu giggled, spinning around in the living room. 

“Mom owes me ten dollars and the new Charizard plushie,” Natsu ran into the kitchen to hug Shouyou and you tightly, looking up and batting her eyes. “Will you guys buy me the Piplup plushie since I helped the two of you kiss?” 

Shouyou rolled his eyes and you laughed, ruffling Natsu’s hair. “Thanks so much, kiddo. The Piplup plushie is on me,” you squatted down to pinky promise and Natsu threw her arms around you. 

“I’m calling Mom to tell her that we’re going shopping tonight for the plushies!” 

“At least Natsu approves,” you gave Shouyou a quick kiss on the cheek before turning to finish packing the sandwiches. 

“My mom already loves you,” Shouyou reassured you, his arms back around your waist. “And I love you too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! Comments, kudos, and requests are welcome!


	11. Terushima Yuuji

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Both wild spirits, Terushima and you would never say no to a night out and a one-night stand. Could it be that the two of you can tie yourself down? TW: Attempted sexual assault by a stranger with date rape drugs. Stay safe out there y'all and never leave your drinks unattended.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Instead of listening to a Zoom lecture, I wrote this for an hour. Hope you enjoy!

As a college student, the weekends were what you lived for. As soon as you clocked out of your campus job at 5 PM, the weekend was officially starting and you would transform into a completely different person. 

From 5 PM to 9 PM, you crammed in as much homework as you can, often forgetting to eat dinner, and instead holed up in your room or a library cubicle before promptly shedding the comfortable sweatpants and slipping into a neon green slip dress and heels. 

Freshman year, you poured your heart into studying for a multitude of reasons. Fresh out of a two-year-long high school relationship, studying helped to distract you from heartbreak. The stress of exams and essays managed to fuel you and your grades at the end of the semester made all your nights crying at the library worth it. 

Sophomore year, things were different. You wanted the thrill of attraction and the catalyst for your notorious clubbing habit was gifted upon you by your best friend, you had purchased fake ID cards for the two of you. As the saying goes, work hard, play hard and you heeded that statement since then. Friday nights, the entirety of Saturday, and Sunday mornings were reserved for you. No homework, just pure indulgent fun. 

After a year and a half of weekend excursions, you saw familiar faces tonight once again. The infamous playboy and club connoisseur, Terushima Yuuji was grinding against a girl on the dance floor when you walked in. 

The relationship between Terushima and you was... interesting. Both of you were known on campus for hedonistic weekends and often were spotted at the same bars, clubs, and music festivals, but had never hooked up. It was as if both of you had a mutual understanding that the other was a respected colleague. The number of sexual partners between the two of you was innumerable and despite hearing plenty of gossip about the other, neither had approached the other. 

Today was no different. As your friend accompanied you to the dance floor, Terushima gave you a wink and you smirked back before throwing your head back and swaying to the music. The pregame had inebriated you enough and that perfect level of drunkenness washed over you. 

Plenty of guys came and went, their hands roaming over your body but none catching your eye. After some time had passed and with no usual disruptions from your friend, you began to grow nervous.

Peeling your eyes open, you scanned the crowd, catching your friend making out with a guy at the bar and Terushima’s eyes boring into you while he mindlessly had a girl grinding her ass on his crotch. 

Blame it on the tequila or the horrible club lighting, but the lights hit Terushima’s tongue piercing when he stuck his tongue out and as if you were bewitched, you floated to his side. Tapping on the girl’s shoulder and earning a can’t you see I’m busy look, you replaced her to her annoyance when Terushima stepped away from her. 

“I thought you’d be at Club 27 tonight,” Terushima’s husky low voice sounded amused. His hands were planted on your ass while your arms were over his shoulders, clasped behind his neck. 

“I love the vibes of this club, it’s almost like a dive bar.” From the corner of your eye, you saw your friend stumble out of the club, much too drunk for your liking. Sighing, you dropped your arms and sighed, “Sorry, looks like tonight’s not the night we bless the universe with our mindblowing sex,” you motioned towards the exit, “My friend’s too drunk and I want her safe so I’ll be going now.” 

With a quick but steamy kiss, Terushima ran his tongue over your lips, making you shiver, before turning you away from him and patting your ass. “I’ll catch you later, I guess.”

Throwing yourself at the metal door, you exploded onto the street, seeing your friend hunched in the alleyway across the street with a shadow looming over her. 

“Shit,” you muttered before sprinting to her, screaming a string of unholy curses at the man who came into your view under the buzzing streetlight. It was the guy from the bar, who looked well over 25. With all the power you could muster, you swung a clenched fist deep into his gut, knocking him to the ground. “You piece of shit,” you shout, emphasizing each word with a kick to his limp leg. 

Reaching out to your friend, you fretted over her, holding her tightly to your chest. “Did you do anything? Are you okay?” Your friend moaned that she was fine, but she seemed too drunk. 

“I’m calling the cops, I think you’re drugged,” you landed another kick to his side while ranting to the emergency operator for a police presence request. 

You had plenty to do while your friend was sitting on a wooden crate with her head against the brick wall and waiting for the cops. Practically sitting on the guy to prevent him from running off, you gave him a firm kick every so often to release your aggression. 

A string of people exited the club as the night deepened. Last call was at 3 AM at this bar and the DJ left at 2 AM. Glancing at your phone, you were annoyed to see that it was already 1:30 and you had spent nearly 20 minutes waiting for the cops now. 

Even from across the street, you could make out Terushima leaving the club alone. Looks like he’s unsuccessful today too. For some reason, that satisfied you. Your eyes carefully followed him as he crossed the street and approached the alleyway you were occupying with your friend and the unconscious man. 

“You okay?” Terushima squatted down to your level and cupped your head with his large hand. 

“This wannabe doctor drugged my friend,” you gave the man another kick, confident that he would wake up with bruises painted all over his skin. 

“Want me to keep you company?” 

That was an unexpected offer. “You don’t have to,” you shrugged, but bit your lip before adding, “I wouldn’t mind it though.” 

Cracking a cocky smile, he lifted you up with two hands and casually wrapped his arms around you. “It’s 50 degrees out here, you don’t have a coat?” 

“Coats are extra luggage,” you dismissed him but shuddered at the warmth Terushima provided. “Plus, we didn’t plan for this to happen.” 

Swaying with your back flush against his chest and his arms wrapped around your chest, you leaned your head back and received a soft kiss on your icy lips. This certainly wasn’t the most unpleasant location for a kiss for both of you. Electricity traveled throughout your body with every touch from him, leaving you breathless. You finally understood why Terushima was so sought after and it already broke your heart to know that the two of you would never nurture the events of tonight into something more. 

The blaring sirens from a distance made both your friend and the man stir. After a brief questioning from the cops, an ambulance arrived to usher your friend to the hospital. There was only one extra person who could accompany your friend to your dismay. 

“Thanks for tonight,” you whispered before kissing him one last time and jumping into the front seat of the ambulance. 

The nearest hospital was 20 minutes away and you couldn’t help but doze off during the bumpy ride. The sirens were thankfully unnecessary due to the deserted streets. 

While your friend was rushed into treatment, you filled out the mountain of paperwork shoved at you by a disgruntled nurse. 

Crossing your legs, you began to scribble on the forms with all the information you knew. Racking your brain for your friend’s parent’s phone number, you didn’t flinch when someone dropped into the seat next to you. Now what you did react to was a head cozying up on your shoulder. 

Ready to fight someone again, you sharply turned to face the person. 

“What are you doing here?” You breathed out, pulling Terushima back onto your shoulder while you settled into your seat. 

“It’s late and I don’t want you to go home alone,” Terushima stated simply, planting soft kisses on your neck and shoulder. 

The nurse was giving you the stink eye but you were blissed out to care. Smiling sweetly, you slid the clipboard and pen to the nurse under the security glass and returned to your seat with a bounce in your step. 

The television mounted on the wall was softly chattering about tonight’s news as you snuggled close to Terushima, despite the uncomfortable armrest between you two, and dozed off. 

“Wake up, you two,” your friend’s voice stirred you and you groaned, sensing Terushima wiggle next to you. “Good morning,” she chirped, giving you a look that you would be spilling the guts on the overnight development. 

“Hey,” Terushima’s hoarse voice caught your attention and his hand on your chin gently guided you to meet his lips. “It’s nice waking up to you,” he grinned wickedly, earning a light slap on his arm from you. 

You stretched after standing up and hugged your friend, thankful that she was okay. 

“They pumped my stomach and found traces of the drug, so that guy’s getting jail time,” she reported. 

“Good, that bastard belongs in hell,” you reached out to Terushima and he rose, taking your hand. “Let’s go back to school.” 

As you were ordering a ride on your phone, your friend’s teasing voice announced, “Actually, I’m going to head back to campus, why don’t you two grab some breakfast together? I did ruin your night, after all.” 

When you fought back that she did not, in fact, ruin your night and it was that bastard’s fault, your friend shoved you towards Terushima and waved before running off into a car she had ordered before waking you up. 

“Sneaky bitch,” you laughed, glancing at Terushima. “You don’t have to listen to her, you had a long night,” you offer him a way out.   
He doesn’t take it. Instead, you find yourself at a hole-in-the-wall cafe three blocks from campus, enjoying a grilled cheese and tomato soup and listening to Terushima’s life story. 

Shockingly, most of the rumors were true. “Now your turn,” Terushima sipped on his coffee, his eyes encouraging you to entertain him while he enjoyed his untouched bacon, egg, and cheese bagel. 

So you told him about your university days so far, how the tragic breakup with your high school boyfriend led you to become a free-spirited, hedonistic, sex-loving 20-year-old. 

“Do you ever think about settling down?” So many of your friends had asked the same question, but it sounded foreign coming from Terushima.

Taking a moment to reflect, you nodded. “I’ve dated a few guys here and there, but none seem to stick. I’m just enjoying my life right now, but if the right one lands on my lap, then I have no objections.” 

Terushima dropped his bagel and stood up, pulling your chair away from the table and sitting on your lap. “Here I am,” he announced, winking. 

“You think we’ll work? I’m not being pessimistic,” you explained, “I’m just genuinely curious about what you think.” 

“I would be lying if I said I’ve pined for you all these years, but last night made me want to try us out.” Terushima’s lips hovered over yours, his arms resting on the back of your chair, trapping you between his arms and legs. 

“Okay.” You leaned up to kiss him before shoving him away. “Now go back to your seat so I can enjoy my soup,” you giggled, enjoying the pout on his face and the wiggling of his tongue as he sat down across from you again. 

To everyone’s surprise, Terushima and you graduated as a couple. Of course, there were some bitter fights along the way, each trying to adjust to a new relationship, but not once had you two called it quits. It wasn’t like magic that the two of you got together, either. Terushima confessed that just as you had been hearing the gossip about him, he had heard the same about you. The physical attraction was mutually brewing under the surface, but both thought that the other was two-dimensional until the night spent in the emergency room. 

The way you refused to abandon your friend and to protect her throughout the freezing night made something in Terushima click that you were a relationship woman rather than a one night stand to be written off. 

Laying in bed next to Terushima at the end of a seemingly never-ending work week, you faced Terushima. 

“We should get married,” you casually said, eyes trained to catch any subtle muscle movement of his face. 

Terushima turned away and rummaged through the drawer of the nightstand next to you. There’s no way he bought a ring. Of course, he didn’t. Instead, with his signature wicked grin, he tossed a condom onto your chest, wiggling his brows. He trapped your hips between his knees and planted a hand by your ear, hovering over you. 

You mentally prepared yourself with your eyes closed, but with a gentle tap on your nose, you opened your eyes to see an open ring box with a beautiful, petite diamond ring in front. 

“Gotcha,” Terushima teased, dipping down for a kiss. “It’s our four year anniversary and judging from how exhausted you were, I assumed you forgot.” 

“Shit, babe, I’m sorry,” you laughed, embarrassed. 

Terushima slipped the ring onto your left ring finger and laid down next to you after planting a kiss on your forehead. 

Quickly, you maneuvered yourself to dominate him and announced, “We should celebrate,” before pulling your nightie off of you and crashing your lips to his.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading! I really do miss going out to clubs, but please stay home and wear masks!!! As always, comments, questions, kudos, and suggestions are much appreciated!


	12. Akaashi Keiji

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bokuto has a big mouth and the secret he spills to you while waiting in line for the bathroom in the basement of a frat house might just be the best news you've ever heard. 
> 
> In other words: Akaashi and you dance on the line between friends and something more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for 200+ kudos!!! It means the world to me :)

“Can I crash in your room tonight?” You bit off a chunk of the ice cream bar before handing it over to Akaashi. “I’d ask Bokuto but he told me he’s having a girl over after a frat party mixer.” 

After a bite, he handed the ice cream back to you. “Why can’t you sleep in your own bed?” 

You rolled your eyes before sighing, “If you were in my position, would you want to sleep in the same bed that your ex and your roommate fucked on?” When Akaashi didn’t answer, you retorted, “I thought so. So let me stay with you, I’ll take a chair, anything.” 

The ice cream bar was naked now, with only the vanilla cream left after you had stripped it of its chocolate coating. You mindlessly handed it back to Akaashi who accepted it as always. 

“How long do you need to stay?” Akaashi finished the remaining ice cream in two bites and tossed the stick into the trash can a few feet away. 

“Just tonight. She’s getting kicked out tomorrow morning,” you gloated, stretching your arms out towards the sky. “She can go fuck my ex all she wants then.” 

“You should stop dating such assholes,” Akaashi repeated and you immediately argued back that Akaashi had introduced you to both of your ex-boyfriends. 

“Yeah,” you muttered, glancing at Akaashi quickly in your periphery. “I need a guy like you.” 

Akaashi pressed his lips tightly in a line and lazily stared at you. “That’s hilarious,” he said with a dead serious face. “Stop fooling around and go get your shit, I’ll see you later.” Akaashi got up from the ledge you two were perched upon and swiftly walked away, leaving you frustrated. 

An hour later, your knuckles were rapping gently against the wooden door of Akaashi’s apartment with a tote bag stuffed to the brim resting on the crook of your arm. 

“Akaashi,” your patience was evaporating by the second and you dropped your bag onto the floor by your feet. It had been five minutes of kicking and knocking his door with no response. 

With no other option, you crouched on the floor by his door, tucking your face into your crossed arms. It was nearly midnight and all you wanted was to have Akaashi’s arms wrapped around you as you dozed off. 

You sent a string of texts and called Akaashi twice, but there was radio silence. Ten more minutes of waiting was appropriate, you decided, before you would abandon Akaashi and crash with someone else for the night. 

No one was walking by, thankfully, and you fell asleep, curled up like a pill bug, using your tote as a bean bag of sorts to sink into. 

“Shit,” you heard Akaashi curse, his voice floating around in your fuzzy brain. You were trying to wake up, but before you could vocalize anything, Akaashi picked you up and carried you into his room, making sure you were comfortable on his bed. You felt him leave your side to bring your bag in and heard the door shut quietly behind him. 

You rolled towards the wall and made space for Akaashi. “Can you hold me?” You whispered, sounding like a child afraid of the dark. 

“Yeah, give me a minute to get ready for bed.” 

Akaashi flicked off the light and shuffled around in the dark for a few minutes before settling down by your side. He silently wrapped his muscular arms around you and brought your face flush against his chest. 

It only took a couple of seconds before you started to cry, letting your guard down. After suppressing all the emotional turmoil brewing in you for the sake of getting through exams and homework, it felt so good to finally open the floodgates and let your tears out. 

Akaashi’s hand patted your back rhythmically, his other hand resting on your side. You tangled your leg with his, pressing yourself into him. 

“Is there something wrong with me?” You hiccuped, taking in a deep breath before continuing, “Why do men cheat on me?” 

“There’s nothing wrong with you, it’s a problem with them,” Akaashi cut you off and cupped your face, tipping it up to lock your eyes with his. “So shut up and sleep.” 

Akaashi didn’t let go of you overnight. You managed to wake up before Akaashi and squirmed in his tight hold. It was still dark out and you were sweating from the blankets and Akaashi’s body heat, clothes pasted to your skin. Doing your best to avoid waking Akaashi up, you slipped off the sweatpants you were wearing and peeled off your shirt. 

You balled up your clothes and threw them onto the floor, worrying about them later. For now, you snuggled in close to Akaashi again and closed your eyes.

Akaashi was well aware of your near-nakedness before he opened his eyes. He knew you were overheating since this wasn’t the first time you stripped down to your underwear in the middle of the night, he wasn’t concerned. 

“Akaashi,” you whined, forcing his eyes open. “It’s hot.” Akaashi groaned and rolled off the bed to turn on the air conditioning unit, blasting icy cold air directly on you. He collapsed back into bed, pulled you back into his arms, and drew the blanket up to your chin. 

“It’s 6 AM, go back to sleep,” Akaashi muttered, resting his chin on the crown of your head. 

“You’re being so clingy,” you smiled softly, trailing your fingers in a teasing dance up and down his arm. “I usually have to beg for hugs.” 

Akaashi made a disapproving sound and crushed your face into his chest to shut you up. Giddy, you fell back asleep in his embrace. 

When both of you were fully awake at noon, Akaashi was back to his prickly self. You didn’t spend ample time with him like you wanted to, lounging around in his room, because you had the pleasure of kicking out your roommate in ten minutes. 

Later that night, you were thoroughly drunk after a series of tequila shots with Bokuto in celebration of your new singledom. Leaning heavily on Bokuto in the line for the bathroom in the basement, the two of you were babbling to one another two distinct conversations. Neither one of you were listening to the other but giggling unstoppably.

“So, yeah, I told Akaashi to just get on with it, but he keeps shutting me down! So I said, grow some balls, bro!” Bokuto cackled and with a sudden lurch, you gripped onto Bokuto’s shoulders with both hands. 

“You told Akaashi to do what?” You asked, your eyebrows raised and wavering eyes trying their damn best to stare up at Bokuto. 

“I told him to just do the damn thing!” Bokuto flailed his arms, shouting, “I told him to just confess to you but he’s being so stubborn!” 

“What?” You screamed into Bokuto’s face, shaking him. “Oh shit,” you shoved Bokuto aside and stumbled up the stairs into the living room. 

You fished your phone out of your pocket and stared down at the screen, thumbs fumbling to text Akaashi, who refused to come to the party, shutting down both Bokuto and your pleas.

_I loveyou Im super drunk but BOkuto told mmee and I juswtwnat a cuddle nk iss from you righttttttt now._

__You managed to hit send and stumbled out onto the porch, settling down on the steps and leaned your head against the wooden railing._ _

__The sound of your phone ringing made you jump slightly and you scrambled to press the green accept button._ _

__Before you could say hello, Akaashi demanded, “Where are you right now?”_ _

__“I dunno,” you pouted, but then was struck with a brilliant idea, “I’m sharing my location with you right now right now. Are you coming to kiss me?”_ _

__Akaashi didn’t respond to your question and instead countered with a question of his own, “How drunk are you?”_ _

__“Very,” you proudly announced, much to his dismay. “I shared my location, so come find me,” you sang, dropping the call intentionally. You swung your feet off the steps, buzzing from the alcohol and the possibility of kissing Akaashi tonight._ _

__You met Akaashi two years ago in an early 19th century English literature class, bonding over a semester-long research project. After spending weekends and nights together, it was natural that after the class ended, the two of you sought each other out for company. You always thought Akaashi was cute, but hearing praises from Bokuto about what a good guy Akaashi was made you slowly see past his beauty._ _

__Sticking through your breakups, Akaashi was outwardly blunt and disinterested but never failed to appear by your side, being your anchor and providing you with those precious hugs of his that glued together the shattered pieces of you in the aftermath._ _

__A jacket was draped over your shoulder and you looked up and grinned when you saw Akaashi crouched in front of you._ _

__“Come here.”_ _

__With one hand, you clutched the jacket over your chest and leaned forward on the step to softly land against Akaashi._ _

__“Bokuto has loose lips,” you tattled, rubbing your cheeks slightly against Akaashi’s shoulder. “So confess,” you commanded, “Tell me you love me too.”_ _

__Akaashi sighed and raised you to your feet. “I’m not doing this when you’re drunk. Let me take you home.”_ _

__“I won’t go home until you kiss me and cuddle me later,” you threatened, gripping onto the railing to anchor yourself. You shifted to plant your feet on the sidewalk, daring Akaashi to fight you on this._ _

__With a heavy sigh, Akaashi walked towards you, determined more than ever, grabbed your face in between his hands, and crashed your lips to his. It may be that you were drunk, but you didn’t resist when his tongue dominated your mouth._ _

__Letting go of the railing, you snaked your arms up Akaashi’s back and tangled your fingers in his hair, as if you could pull him even closer._ _

__“There,” Akaashi pulled away, “Can I take you home now?”_ _

__“I still don’t like sleeping in my room,” you admitted quietly, recalling how you spent most of today planning to crash on Bokuto’s couch._ _

__Akaashi linked his hand with yours and pulled you to walk. “You’re always welcome at my place.”_ _

__“Wow,” you feigned deep honor, “Tu casa es mi casa, how could I _ever _thank you?” Akaashi smirked and kissed your forehead.___ _

____“Keep acting like that and there’s no cuddling tonight.”_ _ _ _

____You gasped and shot back, “You wouldn’t dare. You can’t keep your hands off me now.”_ _ _ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading! As always, comments and kudos are much appreciated!


	13. Sawamura Daichi

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As a frequent guest in Officer Daichi's precinct, you have the pleasure of spending hours getting to know your favorite police officer. But working as a dominatrix and being Daichi's natural enemy, will Daichi be open to dating?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was struck by this idea and it just wouldn't leave my head until I wrote it all out! Also, I am really loving this storyline so please let me know if you'd like a follow-up chapter!

“Nice to see you again, Officer Daichi,” you twirled your hair around your finger and wiggled your fingers towards from behind the bars of the holding cell. It was half-past two in the morning on Saturday and the concrete bench under your ass was not only freezing but bruising you. 

“Good evening,” Daichi responded before returning to his desk across the room. 

You loved sex work and you were damn proud of it too. As a dominatrix, you degraded high-power CEOs of various companies in the city at night while you happily attended university during the day. Not only did sex work pay for your school, it made you more than comfortable. You had the opportunity to support your single mother and buy her a house after two years of working. 

The one disadvantage to your job was the occasional arrests. Despite befriending people in high places and having an ample amount of blackmail as insurance, arrests couldn’t be avoided. The charges never stuck, of course, thanks to your clients, but undercover police officers who patrolled the five-star hotels for other sex workers had to arrest you when spotted. 

Thus, tonight marked your eleventh arrest. At this point, you knew every single police officer in the precinct by name and were as friendly as you could be with law enforcement. No one, however, compared to Officer Daichi. He was the officer who had arrested you first and was mainly in charge of night shifts when you were most active. His clean-cut looks certainly entertained you during your overnights stays in the precinct. 

Three others kept you company in the cell, but they were all too drunk to be conscious. You had your unspoken designated corner of the cell, close to the bars and diagonal from the toilet. To the naked eye, no one would suspect that you were a sex worker. You dressed like a businesswoman to cater to your clientele’s locations to blend in and subverted the prejudice that enveloped sex work. 

Despite the blazer draped over your shoulders, the pencil skirt bared your legs and you couldn’t help but shiver. 

“Would you like a blanket?” You looked up from the floor and cracked a smile at Daichi. He was squatting down to your level, holding out a neatly folded blanket that had previously been draped over the back of his chair. 

Gently tugging it through the bars, you thanked Daichi. You drowned in the blanket and drew your knees up to your chest to tuck your chin in. Your one phone call had already been made and you didn’t know how long you would have to wait until your client’s assistance dragged himself out of bed and bailed you out. 

You were as comfortable as you could be in a holding cell and dozed off, the warmth of Daichi’s blanket shielding you. 

“You posted bail,” Daichi’s voice was soft, and when you didn’t stir, his hand landed on your shoulder. Unconsciously, you leaned on his hand, your head naturally gravitating towards the touch. He repeated himself louder and you managed to peel your eyes open. 

Daichi moved his hand off of your shoulder, a hint of rose blooming on his face. 

“Thank you,” you stood up and shimmied your skirt that had ridden up inches back down to its rightful place. You carefully folded Daichi’s blanket in your hands and placed in his arms before leaving through the open cell with him on your heels. 

You waved at the poor office assistance who had bailed you out before turning to face Daichi. 

“Have a great day, Officer,” you leaned in and whispered, your fingers ghosting on his upper arms. 

Daichi barely managed to stutter, “You too.” 

That night, you were relaxing at a high table in a hotel restaurant, a glass of champagne in your right hand, and your perfectly manicured fingers drumming on the table. Courtesy of a fifty-something-year-old CEO of a multinational tech company, you had a free night at the hotel after an afternoon of degrading him. This was your form of aftercare, treating yourself to a night of relaxation which you negotiated with all your clients. 

As you took a sip of champagne, there was a commotion in the lobby. A swarm of people in SWAT suits and firearms stormed into the building, canvassing the hotel and locking it down. Several officers blocked the entryways and exits and out of habit, you fished your hotel keycard out from your bra and placed it on the table next to your phone. 

You paid no mind to the police presence, well aware that many seedy transactions occurred within the walls of fancy hotels. You weren’t concerned until an officer weaved through the maze of tables, stalking towards you. 

Every single muscle in your body tensed and you repeatedly crossed and uncrossed your legs until you could clearly recognize Daichi from a few feet away. 

“Fancy seeing you here,” you breathed out, fingers loosening around the champagne flute. 

“Not up to something, I hope?” Daichi suppressed a smirk, more relaxed in all interactions with you outside of the precinct. 

You shook your head and a sly smile formed on your lips. “Just taking some well-deserved time for myself,” you winked and added, “If you weren’t so tied up, I would love your company.” 

Daichi failed to stifle an awkward laugh and held out his hands in defense, widening the distance between you two. His face returning emotionless, he stated, “That would be inappropriate,” in the most level voice he could manage. 

You shrugged and took another sip of champagne, emptying the glass. Daichi lingered for a few moments more and you gladly drank in the sight of him without the bars of the holding cell interrupting your vision. 

With the screech of his walkie-talkie, Daichi nodded goodbye and returned to his partner’s side by the far fire exit. 

Multiple announcements were made by both the police and the hotel management, apologizing to their patrons for the unexpected turn of events. You didn’t mind at all, eyes gratefully locking with Daichi’s for the majority of the night. 

It was nearly four in the morning when the police began to pack up, lifting the restrictions. You stood up to join the other patrons gladly returning to their rooms. You hopped off the high seat only to sprain your ankle when your high heel broke, forcing you to kiss the floor. 

“Fuck,” you muttered, a hand rubbing your left ankle, rapidly swelling. In anger, you ripped off your other heel and threw it on the floor, not caring that they cost $1000. 

A shadow loomed over you and Daichi crouched down, inspecting your ankle with caution. 

“Let me take you to the hospital.” 

A trip to the hospital seemed extreme, since all you really wanted to do right now was to collapse in your king-size bed up on the 30th floor and haphazardly secure an ice pack around your ankle. 

But you didn’t want to turn down an offer to be with Daichi for a while longer. So you said yes, caving in despite knowing well that Daichi was an unobtainable man, since so many men you were attracted to disapproved of your occupation. 

Daichi lifted you up with both arms, carrying you bridal style to carefully protect your modesty. He explained to his partner your situation and drove off with you in his police car. 

“Funny,” you mused, “I’ve never ridden in the front seat of a cop car.” A genuine, low laugh escaped Daichi’s lips. 

You pulled up your legs to rest them on the dashboard, but Daichi’s firm hand on your thigh stopped you. 

“That’s dangerous,” Daichi scolded and you begrudgingly withdrew your feet. 

“How’s your girlfriend? Last we spoke you were nearing your three month anniversary.” Daichi was one of the officers you knew most about since he entertained your conversations whenever you arrived in the precinct. He lingered by the holding cells because of how interesting your life was, always eager to hear your wild stories about some big wig guy with an embarrassing kink. You never revealed names but indulged Daichi with the wildest nights. 

Daichi pursed his lips and parted them briefly before pressing them closed. 

“Sorry,” you placed a hand on his tense shoulder and he exhaled, his shoulders dropping. Silence filled the car as you approached the hospital. 

You didn’t want to disrupt Daichi’s plans for the remainder of the morning. “Thank you for bringing me all the way here,” you hopped out of the car and precariously balanced on your uninjured ankle, your hand supporting you against the police car. 

To your surprise, Daichi rose from his seat and joined you at your side, looping your arm over his shoulder, even though he had to bend uncomfortably down to your height. “I’m not abandoning you when you can’t walk,” Daichi’s hand cautiously landed on your waist, him looking at you for approval. You nodded and his grip on you tightened to take more weight off of you. 

Two hours later, a doctor had bandaged your ankle up tightly and gave you a pair of crutches to help you walk. Daichi didn’t leave your side once. He had held your hand, his rough hand enveloping your soft ones as the doctor painfully adjusted the angle of your ankle. 

With your crutches, you managed to hobble out into the crisp autumn morning, the chilly air making you shiver. 

“Hey, Daichi?” You carefully turned to look at him, swallowing the growing lump in your throat. If anything, this moment was the best time to address your feelings for him. You lived life swearing to stay true to yourself and you refused to let a man stop you from that. 

Daichi cocked his head but looked at you, encouraging you to continue. 

“I would love to go out on a date with you.” The words slowly left your lips and you steeled yourself together once again to continue. “It might be inappropriate, you might not respect me, you may disapprove of my work, or whatever your reasons may be, I just wanted to seriously ask you to go out with me.” 

Your eyes refused to waver from Daichi’s face, confidence pulsing off of you in waves after finally confessing. After all the flirtatious comments, the winks, and the occasional touches that electrified you, you felt utterly free. 

Daichi blinked rapidly as if that would help him understand the words that just left your mouth. He paused to run through his speech again, reciting it over and over again before finally croaking, “I would love that.” All other thoughts vanished from his head as he wrapped his arms around your waist, driven by the need to press himself against you to confirm that this wasn’t a cruel hallucination produced by the lack of sleep he was suffering from recently. 

“Kiss me, why don’t you,” you mumbled into his chest, your head resting against the carved out muscles of his, defined through intense training for special operations. 

Daichi lifted you off the ground and your crutches clattered onto the sidewalk, ignored for minutes as Daichi and your tongues fought for dominance. Your legs were tightly wrapped around Daichi’s waist, your hand wandering to the side of your thighs to unzip it to provide a greater range of motion. Every breath seemed like a waste and you were absolutely intoxicated by him. 

Although you loved dominating men in non-sexual power play, you enjoyed relaxing the reins when it came to your own sex life. Daichi’s incessant kissing drew no complaints on your end. 

Eventually, you pulled away and leaned back, cheeks flushed, lips bruised, and hair tousled. “How about a brunch date? I suppose it’s time for you to clock out soon.” 

“That sounds wonderful,” Daichi smiled sheepishly as if he hadn’t just made out with you in front of a hospital emergency room. 

He carried you to the car and settled you in, reaching over to buckle your seatbelt for you. 

“I’m not incapacitated,” you whined, pulling him by his shirt for a quick kiss on his lips. He moaned when you pulled away, dipping back down to kiss you again, this time, for much longer. 

“Okay, okay,” you pushed him off, aware of multiple passersby staring at you through the windshield. 

Daichi finally slid into the driver’s seat and pulled out of the hospital parking lot, your obsolete crutches abandoned on the sidewalk.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed this chapter and thank you so much for reading! Comments and kudos make me smile :)


	14. Kyoutani Kentarou

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You're a flirty cheerleader who's hellbent on befriending Kyoutani.

At Aoba Johsai there were absolutely no couples between the boy’s volleyball team and the cheerleading team. There wasn’t a rule, spoken or unspoken, but the cheerleading team was much more interested in the other sports teams, statistically speaking. 

That wasn’t equivalent to the number of crushes that the cheerleading team had on the volleyball boys. 

The Aoba Johsai cheerleading team was composed of two boys and eleven girls and of those eleven girls, each had a volleyball player they crushed on. While Oikawa was favored by half of the girls, the others entertained themselves with crushes on the other players. 

So when the student government announced that the volleyball team was to couple up with the cheerleading team for entering the gym during the next sports festival, the volleyball team was thrown into absolute chaos. 

“I think we should claim the players,” your captain announced with her hands on her hips. She was a terrifying force of nature, with the aura of a drill sergeant but the innocence of the girl next door. 

“Rin, I think the boys should choose us,” you retorted, fearing her slightly less than the trembling first-year students after being her vice-captain for four months. “It’ll be more efficient than for all of us to scramble for a boy.” 

Rin chewed her lip and tapped her foot, considering your offer. She sighed loudly and rolled her eyes before marching off to the main gym across from the auxiliary gym the cheerleading team practiced in. 

You glared pointedly at the trio of girls who were visibly annoyed at your proposition. “I know you all want Oikawa, so instead of losing friendships and teamwork, how about we let fate do its thing?” They were second years who simply nodded and huddled to gossip rather than argue with you. 

Rin returned with a toothy grin, which was jarring to the entire team. 

“Whoa, you good?” Someone behind you asked Rin and she nodded excitedly. 

“The sports festival is next week and Oikawa has sworn that his teammates will choose and ask one girl by this Friday,” Rin clapped her hand loudly and announced, “Now get your asses up and let’s practice!” 

With the issue of the sports festival settled, the grueling practice progressed to Rin’s liking with absolutely no distractions or complaints from her teammates. 

On your way out of the gym, you caught sight of the volleyball team streaming into the boy’s locker room. Dropping your heavy gym bag from your shoulder, you dashed towards Kyoutani, jumping on his back, throwing your arms over his shoulders to hang out and wrapping your legs around his waist. He grunted but his arms shot out to cradle your legs at your thighs and turned to glare at you. 

“Hi, Kyo,” you gave him a peck on the cheek and rubbed away the traces of your lipgloss on his cheek with your neatly manicured thumb. “Got something to ask me?” As one of the only people who could wrestle more than five words out of him, you were hopeful that Kyoutani would ask you to accompany him at the sports festival. 

To you, it was the most logical option, since you had grown fond of him ever since you caught him practicing with your older brother at the community gym during his suspension. After swearing to keep his secret, you pestered him endlessly until he finally accepted your brother and your offers to cook a meal for him. 

Since then, an odd friendship had struck up between you two, with him begrudgingly accepting your sisterly affection and him confiding in you every so often about how stressed he was with school. You helped him with his homework and he helped you practice your gymnastics routines for cheer by pointing out every mistake you made with your form. 

“Kiss me if you’re going to ask me out,” you taunted, whispering in his ear. The few stragglers leaving the gym late, namely Oikawa and Iwaizumi, were invested in the situation unfolding in front of them. 

“Ooh~ Mad Dog has a girlfriend,” Oikawa teased, wiggling his brows and sticking out his tongue. 

Kyoutani simply clenched and unclenched his jaw and you resorted to ending his embarrassment by giving him a quick kiss on the lips, leaving a slight sheen from your lipgloss. 

“You want a kiss too, Oikawa?” You hopped off and stalked towards him like a predator, your hands outstretched and fingers wiggling. 

“No, no,” Oikawa stepped back, almost saying yes but catching a glimpse of Kyoutani behind you stopped him from taking his joke from pushing the detonate button on Kyoutani’s temper. “I’m doing fine all on my own.” Oikawa grabbed Iwaizumi by his collar and forced him to serve as a block between you two, defending himself from your approaching figure. 

You laughed and ran back to Kyoutani’s side, grabbing onto his arm. “Alright, well, I’ll see you all tomorrow,” you ran your finger over Kyoutani’s lips to remove the sheen and faint pink tint from you. 

“See you tomorrow morning for our run?” Iwaizumi asked to confirm and you nodded. 

“6 AM in front of my house,” you gave him a thumbs up and released Kyoutani from your hold, waving to the trio and running back to grab your bag from the other gym. 

Making Kyoutani speechless was easy enough, since he rarely spoke, but to have him freeze on the spot excited you. Although you did want a formal proposal of sorts to the sports festival like other girls would get, you knew to adjust your expectations for Kyoutani. 

When you woke up the next morning for your daily run with Iwaizumi, you were more exhausted than usual. A presentation later on in the day for your English class had kept you awake until 3 AM and here you were now, three hours later, leaning against the wall with eyes closed. 

“Good morning,” Iwaizumi called out, your eyes fluttering open in response. “Late night?” The two of you stretched lightly in the chilly morning air. 

You bent down to touch your toes and shivered. Suddenly you were longing for the warmth of your blanket and your bed. 

“You’re here.” Still bent, you looked up to see who Iwaizumi was addressing and there Kyoutani was, bowing ever so slightly to Iwaizumi. 

Standing up again, you scuttled over to Kyoutani and attempted to bask in his body heat, squeezing your arms tightly around him. “Good morning,” you mumbled, burying your nose in his sweatshirt.

Kyoutani gently removed your arms from him and he pulled off his sweater, silently holding it out for you. “It’s cold.” 

Grinning, you slipped into the sweatshirt, balling up the extra fabric of the sleeves in your fists to protect your hands. “Thank you!” 

“I’ll run ahead so you two can... enjoy each other’s company,” Iwaizumi slyly jogged off, leaving Kyoutani and you in the middle of the street. 

You rolled your foot as a last-second stretch before jogging, knowing that Kyoutani would be behind you no matter what. Iwaizumi had gotten seconds as a head start, but his pace to distance himself from you made him a dot in the distance.

It was strange that Kyoutani showed up; you knew him as a night owl rather than a morning person. He was always sleeping during his morning classes, so for him to grace you with his presence was a pleasant surprise.

“Sports festival,” Kyoutani’s low voice drew you out of your mind, which was currently concerned with memorizing your English presentation script. “You’ll escort me.” 

“I will,” you affirmed, slowing to a stop at the next street corner. “We should go on a date, Kyo.” 

No reply was needed since a passionate kiss from him sealed the deal. A man of action, not words. That was certainly Kyoutani. 

“Thanks for waking up so early, I know mornings are rough for you.” 

Kyoutani cracked a smile as he reached out for your covered hand, which you freed from his sweater and offered him. Not wanting to run with hands clasped, Kyoutani chose to walk alongside you and weaved through alleyways to arrive in front of your house before Iwaizumi could. 

You insisted on waiting for Iwaizumi despite Kyoutani grumbling about how red your nose was getting. When you refused, Kyoutani wrapped himself around you, cuddling you from behind to shield you from the sharp winds. Iwaizumi arrived just in time to see you bending up to kiss Kyoutani. 

“Glad the plan went well,” he mused, crossing his arms. “I’ll see you at school.” Iwaizumi ran down the two blocks to his house and you sprang another kiss on Kyoutani before running into your own house, making a beeline straight to a steamy shower. 

Two hours later, you snuggled in your seat, nearly drowning in Kyoutani’s sweater and happiness. The sweater smelled of clover, spicy and warm, intoxicating you and lulling you to sleep. 

You didn’t expect a dramatic change from Kyoutani after the sports festival, but boy, did he surprise you. He grumbled about everything; he complained that your cheer skirt was growing too tight, even though he was the one who insisted on your company during his gym sessions. It was a double-edged sword, since Kyoutani always had a hand on your ass or any other reachable part of you, admiring every part of you. He grew slightly more affectionate, randomly running over to cheerleading practice during his breaks to steal kisses, to Rin’s annoyance. He tried to organize dates, although they mostly consisted of the two of you cuddling in bed with a movie playing on your laptop while a steamy makeout session ensued. 

Most importantly, he would randomly text and announce how much he liked you, whether he was in class, at practice, or even at a family dinner.

One night, the two of you were tangled in your bed with some movie you weren’t at all interested in playing on your laptop, now on your desk. You were on top of Kyoutani, your ear pressed against his chest and his arms meeting on your back. 

You drummed your fingers on his ribs, mindlessly thinking about how attached the two of you were to one another. While you loved kissing him, Kyoutani preferred just touching any available part of you, which, according to Iwaizumi, stemmed from his constant need for assurance. You never repelled at his touch, instead offering some sort of glance or reciprocal touch. 

“Can I have a kiss?” Kyoutani broke the pleasant silence and you groggily raised your head to look and confirm his words. 

“Of course,” you slid up his body, lips meeting his and softly biting on his lower lip. The concept of Kyoutani wanting your kiss was so novel it slightly unnerved you, but you simply found it so adorable that he asked you, his girlfriend of months, for a kiss. 

“You can kiss me more,” Kyoutani tucked your hair behind your ear. “Oikawa told me you hold back because you think you’re too affectionate.” You smiled apologetically and before you could respond, Kyoutani continued, “As long as you’re overly affectionate with me and not anyone else, I don’t mind.” 

“I thought you were shy with too many public displays of affection, so I think I subconsciously scaled back,” you planted another soft kiss on his lips. “But,” you gave him another kiss, “I won’t hold back anymore.” Your thumbs gently stroked his cheeks while you dipped down for another kiss, this time fiercer than before. 

Kyoutani flipped the two of you, caging you in his arms and looming above. 

For once, you were glad that the movie was loud since it obscured the moans Kyoutani drew out of you for the next two hours.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! Sorry it's been a while since the last update, my time management skills need some desperate work! 
> 
> As always kudos and comments are appreciated <3


	15. Iwaizumi Hajime

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As Tooru Oikawa's sister, you dealt with your fair share of shit from his teammates. One in particular though... you don't mind at all. Is Oikawa losing his precious Iwa-chan to you?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Holy shit, thank you so much more 300+ kudos!!!

“Hajime, ow!” You shriveled away from his hands, leaning forward to bury your face in your lap. 

“Sorry, there was a knot in your hair,” Iwaizumi muttered, his hands gripping you from behind and tugging you back up. With a soft grunt, your back was against his chest and your cheeks grew hotter. 

You shifted to place some distance between you two so that Iwaizumi could continue to French braid your hair. The TV was playing an old volleyball match but neither you nor Iwaizumi was paying much attention. Your hands were occupied with popping popcorn in your mouth, your hands occasionally tossing some to Iwaizumi whenever he leaned over your shoulder. 

“I’m home!” Oikawa’s sing-song voice called out and he shimmied into the living room. 

“How was your date?” You asked, not really caring but well-aware that your older brother would blab about it anyway. 

Tooru gushed about his date as Iwaizumi finished braiding your hair, tapping your shoulder when his masterpiece was complete. You snuggled against his chest in his lap, pulling his arms to wrap across your stomach. 

“Are you two even listening to me? Iwa-chan,” Tooru whined and you grabbed a box of tissues on the floor and chucked it at his head. 

“Tooru, Iwaizumi and I had a lovely night in no thanks to you.” The three of you were going to see a new horror movie, but Tooru had scheduled a date mindlessly, abandoning Iwaizumi and you for the night. As a result, Iwaizumi offered to come over and participate in your so-called self-care night, doing a clay face mask with you, French braiding your hair, and painting your toenails. 

“You’re going to steal my best friend at this rate,” Tooru pouted and yanked you up by the arms, making you stumble, while he replaced you on Iwaizumi’s lap. Iwaizumi and you rolled your eyes simultaneously and not a second after Tooru had settled in, Iwaizumi shoved Tooru off of his lap with a grunt. 

Iwaizumi rose, leaving Tooru whining behind him. “Have a good night,” he waved before showing himself out, completely uninterested in the impending showdown between Tooru and you. 

As soon as Tooru heard the door shut, his questioning began. “Do you like Iwaizumi? Why are you two so close as of lately? What about that guy you liked? What else did you two do tonight, huh?” 

In no mood for Tooru’s questions, you ignored him and retreated to your room, shutting the door. 

The next morning, as every morning before school, Iwaizumi was in front of your house, waiting for Tooru and you. Both Tooru and you were complaining about the cold as you left the house and seamlessly, Iwaizumi inserted himself into the conversation, scolding the two of you. 

“Don’t you two know about mittens and scarves?” Iwaizumi unwrapped his scarf and draped it around you, immediately eliciting whines from Tooru. 

“Iwa-chan,” Tooru scoffed and before he could continue, Iwaizumi fished an extra pair of gloves from his pants pocket and threw it at Tooru. Tooru perked up and announced, “Valentine’s Day is this week!” 

Iwaizumi and you groaned simultaneously. The week of Valentine’s Day consisted of all the students of Aoba Johsai purchasing chocolates and small trinkets from the small supermarket across the street and gifting them to their crushes and lovers. Tooru Oikawa was notorious for receiving the most gifts, often siphoning off extra goodies to Iwaizumi and you to enjoy. The most lavish gift Tooru had received to date was a $200 gift certificate to a luxury boutique in Tokyo from a third-year when he was in his second year. 

“Iwa-chan, do you have any plans for this week?” Tooru raised his eyebrows suggestively, his eyes darting between Iwaizumi and you. You suppressed the urge to smack your brother on the back of his head. 

“No, Oikawa, I don’t. I will, however, enjoy all the chocolates you’ll be handing off to us,” Iwaizumi smirked and held the front door of the school open for you to step through. 

You would usually separate from the boys to go to your classroom, but too curious to see the mountain of presents for Tooru, you headed upstairs to the third year classrooms. 

Through the windows to the classroom, Tooru’s desk was easily spotted. There were small teddy bears, pastel-colored envelopes, and boxes of chocolates and candies, some homemade and some store-bought. 

You whistled and plucked a box of chocolates from the top of the pile, tucking it into your backpack to enjoy during lunch. Tooru and Iwaizumi began sifting through the pile, separating the gifts by type and stacking the envelopes on the corner for Tooru’s eyes later. 

“Have a good day, boys,” you skipped out of the classroom, several pairs of eyes from their classmates following you. Usually, Tooru would snap at his male classmates but today, he was too preoccupied with all the presents. Iwaizumi assumed the responsibility instead and barked a sharp, “Eyes front!” out to everyone in the room, making you smile shyly. 

By Friday morning, Tooru had a total of 276 boxes of assorted chocolates and candies, 304 confession letters, and 24 small stuffed animals. You had received several confessions in person and on paper, but none of the boys had caught your eye previously. Iwaizumi had received his fair share of confessions and gifts as well but kindly rejected every single girl. 

Valentine’s Day was tomorrow, so gifts and letters kept appearing throughout Friday. You had just received a particularly persistent confession from a student in your class, who upon the rejection, slandered you in front of the entire class, resorting to calling you a volleyball team whore. 

_Can I have a hug? My day is turning shittier by the second _You sent the text into the group chat with Tooru and Iwaizumi, hoping that either was free enough to come to comfort you. Insults didn’t hurt you often, but when your entire class was eavesdropping, you couldn’t help but feel awful.__

__You gently laid your head on your desk and closed your eyes, desperate to be anywhere but here. The guy you had rejected was still talking shit to his friends in the back of the classroom, just within your earshot to twist the knife already buried in you._ _

__With the last few minutes of lunch break approaching, kids filtered in and out of the classroom, and you allowed the background noise to distract you._ _

__“Get up.” You opened your eyes and glanced up to see Iwaizumi, fuming. “Tooru wanted to personally have a chat with the son of the bitch, so come with me.”_ _

__You silently followed Iwaizumi out of the classroom, doing your best to ignore the whispers that had restarted behind you. You couldn’t stop the tears from rolling down your face as soon as one foot had stepped out from the school building._ _

__In the distance, you could clearly see your brother fisting the collar of the bastard’s school shirt. Tooru’s voice was too quiet to detect, but you knew that if Tooru wasn’t screaming, it was worse than you could imagine._ _

__“Come here,” Iwaizumi’s voice was soft and like a magnet, you mindlessly moved into his arms, burying your face in the crook of his neck._ _

__“He called me a volleyball team whore,” you nearly sobbed, clenching your fists against his chest. Iwaizumi’s hand patted your back rhythmically, eventually managing to return your hiccuped breathing to normal._ _

__“You’re not a whore,” Iwaizumi whispered endlessly, wiping away the stray tears on your face with his pinky._ _

__“I know that,” you asserted, sniffling. You pulled back from Iwaizumi to look him in the eyes. “Hajime, I like you,” you mumbled, quickly darting your eyes from his gaze and smushing your face to his chest instead._ _

__“I know,” Iwaizumi mused, his fingers twirling around a strand of your hair._ _

__“You knew?!”_ _

__“Of course I knew. You’re so touchy with me and not any of the other guys on the team,” Iwaizumi pulled away from you and stepped back to observe you. You glared at him for allowing you to nervously foster a crush on him for months instead of confronting you. “As long as you’re this affectionate with me and only me, I don’t mind.” Iwaizumi pulled you in again, cupping your chin and tilting it up to kiss you on the lips._ _

__You bit your lip as you looked up at him, admiring how pretty he looked against the blue sky, forgetting all about the events that had unfolded less than ten minutes ago._ _

__“Should we tell Oikawa?”_ _

__Furiously shaking your head, you blurted, “Let’s not.” The endless teasing wasn’t something you wanted to hear today. “How about we just let him figure it out?”_ _

__There was a glint in Iwaizumi’s eye as he smirked. “Let the games begin,” he announced, placing another kiss on your forehead._ _

__It took your brother nearly six days to figure out the change in the status of Iwaizumi and your relationship. He didn’t really figure it out, either. No, he had the pleasure of walking in on the two of you cuddling on the couch and making out languidly, with Iwaizumi’s hand precariously under your shirt and your fingers weaved in his freshly damp hair._ _

__“What the hell? When did this happen?” Tooru dropped his backpack on the floor and nearly ripped you off of Iwaizumi._ _

__You giggled and twisted out of Tooru’s grasp, perching on Iwaizumi’s half-reclined lap again. “That day you beat up that bastard,” you simply revealed, earning a scandalous gasp from Tooru._ _

__“My best friend and my sister, what a turn of events,” he dramatically fanned himself, closing his eyes to fake a faint._ _

__“Shut up and go shower, Oikawa. Next time, announce yourself before coming in the room, too.”_ _

__Tooru grumbled but disappeared into his room, leaving Iwaizumi and you happily alone again._ _

__“Want to go to my room?” You suggested, winking up at Iwaizumi._ _

__“I could never say no to you,” he sighed, raising the two of you. With a swoop, Iwaizumi slung you over his right shoulder, landing a soft smack on your ass as he walked with determination down the hall to your bedroom._ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! Comments and kudos are appreciated!


	16. Aone Takanobu

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just who is that boy from the pond that you saw every morning without fail?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one feels longer than the more recent chapters -- I just got in my feels and couldn't help it! Also as a request, Tendou will be in the next chapter :)

Every morning, there was a hunched figure at the end of the pond on your jog route, tossing something to the ducks which they would flock to peck at. Rain or shine, no matter how cold, it seemed that he jogged here before you and settled down to feed the ducks. 

All you could see from far away was the white tuft of hair on his head and you certainly had no idea how gigantic this man was until you approached him one winter morning, a week before Christmas. 

Panting, you crouched next to him, before collapsing on the dirt. He glanced at you for a second before grabbing a handful of a baguette, ripping it apart carefully with his long, dainty fingers, and tossing it quite far into the center of the pond. 

“You’re always here,” you mused, rubbing your hands and blowing on them to feebly warm them up. When he didn’t answer, you continued, “I run through this park every morning.” 

Surprisingly, his voice is deep and warm, that kind of voice that always melts your insides. “I see you every morning too.” 

Nothing came of that interaction, but it doesn’t stop you from slightly adjusting your jog path to run past him each morning, just to wave an innocent hello. He nodded in acknowledgment and returned his attention to the ducks. 

For two months, you shared brief exchanges with him, sometimes catching him as he left with a backpack slung over his shoulder or just waving as you ran your customary lap around the pond. He became the boy by the pond to your family and friends, someone who was on the fringes of your social circle but each exchange between you two grew more intimate. 

On the 23rd of December, you found yourself in a grocery store, a basket filled with alternative food for the ducks. Ears of sweet corn, two bags of porridge oats, and three packets of bird seeds had wandered in among your groceries. Before you know it, you package them in a simple brown paper bag and slip a Christmas card into it. 

It was cumbersome to jog with the bag in your arms, but you don’t mind. As you neared the park, your eyes sought out that familiar tuft of hair, and there he was, now stretching. The first thing you noticed was definitely his height. To say he towered over you almost seemed like an understatement. He had a good foot of height on you and if you hadn’t grown accustomed to his withdrawn demeanor, you would most certainly be wary of approaching him.

“I never got your name,” you breathed out your arm jutted out with your hand clutching the brown bag. Your fingers were trembling wrapped around the brown bag and you couldn't tell if you were just cold or nervous. “Merry Christmas.” 

His large hands, which had been stuffed in his pockets, clasped yours, the palms of his hands providing instant warmth to you. “Takanobu Aone,” his voice was soft and low, having the same effect on warming you like his hands. “Your hands are really cold,” he comments, not letting go of your hands. The pads of his fingers brush over your knuckles, rough and scratched from your lack of care. 

“I forgot my gloves,” you sheepishly admitted, taking the opportunity to huddle a few steps forward, shivering. Despite the winter jogging clothes, leggings can only block the cold so much. 

You were only halfway done with your jog, but when Aone pointed to the coffee shop at the end of the park, you can’t say no. 

The two of you settled into a booth after placing your orders and Aone finally peeked into the bag you gave him. The corners of his lips rose ever so slightly and that stern, focused face you’ve only ever seen by the pond disappeared. 

“Thank you,” Aone pulled out each of the items you had given him and laid them out on the table. “I noticed that the mother duck was missing six months ago, so I started coming by to feed them morning and night.” 

It’s unexpected and a jarring contrast to his brooding figure. “I’ll join you.” The words slipped out of your mouth and Aone gave you a single nod of acknowledgment. 

The drinks arrived and once again, your expectations of him were shattered. His hands swallowed a mug filled with a hot chocolate topped with inches of whipped cream and sprinkles. 

“You keep surprising me,” you laughed, taking a long sip from your cappuccino. 

“I do?” 

“It’s my fault, though. I’ve seen you for months and had this image of what you would be like. You’re destroying those notions in every single way,” you smiled at Aone’s tongue licking the whipped cream off his lips. “In a good way, too.” 

The two of you were forced out of the coffee shop when it closed at 6 and at Aone’s silent request, the two of you held hands and walked around the pond. Every once in awhile, Aone tossed a handful of oats to the ducks while you talked about everything and nothing. 

“Where do you go to school?” Despite his height, it was obvious that he was in high school since his backpack was always lying nearby on the dirt. 

“Date Tech. You?” 

Oh. You went to the same school and had never seen him. “Same. I’m a first-year,” you examined him up and down, humming. “I’ve never seen you in school, how odd.” 

“I play volleyball,” Aone tossed the last handful of oats and carefully tied the bag up before zipping up his backpack full of new treats for the ducks. 

“I’m on the soccer team, so I never have a chance to see your games.” It was true. The legendary Iron Wall of Date Tech was something you had only ever heard of from rumors and gossip. Personal training, conditioning, practice matches, and tournament games dominated your life. 

“I think I’ve seen you play before. You’re a center back, right?” Aone’s hand returned to hold yours and he stuffed your joined hands in the pocket of his jacket.

“I am! We should spend lunch together after Christmas, I want you to show me volleyball.” It was a sincere offer that you hoped he would accept. 

“I’m a blocker, so my skills would be best shown on the court.” 

Mindlessly, Aone walked you back to your house, letting you lead the way in conversation and through town. You excitedly discussed the rigorous training and occasionally Aone interjected with his own complaint about his captain. 

You lingered in front of your house, shifting your weight from one foot to another. Aone watched you for a few seconds before saying, “Thank you for spending Christmas Eve with me.” 

You had forgotten it was Christmas Eve entirely. For the first time in two years, you hadn’t spent Christmas Eve alone. “I live alone,” you announced, turning around to unlock the door to your small apartment. 

Aone stepped in behind you, cautiously lining his shoes by the door. His pair of sneakers starkly contrasted your tiny shoes littered in front of the door. 

“My parents passed away so I’ve been living on my own for two and a half years now,” you motioned for him to sit on the couch and clicked the TV on while you darted into your room to change. 

You cursed yourself for not doing laundry last night as you had planned, but at least you had something to wear. Tugging on a pair of sweatpants and an old shirt from your middle school soccer team, you rejoined Aone in the living room. 

“Oh my gosh, if you have somewhere to be-” you started, realizing that not everyone spent the holidays alone. 

“My parents are away on a business trip,” Aone cut you off and you took a cautious breath to calm down. The apologies at the tip of your tongue evaporated. 

_Home Alone _was playing on the screen and almost too naturally, you sank into the couch next to Aone. There was a dangerous amount of space between you two -- almost none to be exact. You reached for the blanket at the far end of the couch and drew it up to your neck, tucking yourself underneath.__

__“I can grab another blanket for you if you want?” You offered Aone, who was intently focused on the screen. It was his first time watching the famous Christmas movie._ _

__“I run hot.”_ _

__Under the blanket, you grew warm and sleepy, slightly leaning to the side as your head grew heavy on your shoulders. With a soft thud, you were squished against Aone’s body, his arm drawn up to bring you closer to him. You didn’t bother to resist your closing eyes._ _

__The sound of birds chirping stirred you and instantly, you were aware of another form underneath you. At some point in the night, Aone had readjusted the two of you so that he was using the armrest of the couch as a pillow and you were face down on his chest, his taut arms wrapped around your waist to prevent you from falling. Your legs were tangled with his, one hand was resting on his chest, just over his heart, and your other hand was trapped between Aone and the couch._ _

__You didn’t want to wake him so you laid on him, listening to the rhythmic heartbeat and breathing of his._ _

__His hand was gently stroking your head when you managed to open your eyes again. You croaked a weak good morning and shifted to gaze up at him. In the mid-morning glow, his high cheekbones were sharper than ever while his eyes were struggling to stay open._ _

__He cleared his throat and whispered, “Merry Christmas.” The same hands that formed the Iron Wall of Date Tech raised you to hover over his face for a second before Aone craned his neck up to kiss you._ _

__Every part of him seemed so rough and tough, yet his lips were like butter, gently molding against yours. He carefully brought you down to rest on him again, your lips unbroken. His touches were feather-light, always hesitating momentarily to confirm that it was, in fact, what you wanted, before proceeding any further. Unlike you, he was cautious and attentive to your every gasp, moan, and stiffening._ _

__Every so often, you would break apart to catch a breath and his fingers traced your nose and jawline, his eyes admiring every inch of you._ _

__That Christmas was one of the best you ever had, practically spending the entirety of the festive day glued to Aone. When he cooked in the kitchen, you wrapped your arms around as much of him as you could, burying your face in his back. Some part of you was always connected to him, whether it was just the tips of your fingers or your entire body. He felt like home, safe and inviting. That night, you were happily walking by his side as the two of you walked to his house for a much-needed change of clothes for him._ _

__You had fallen in love without even knowing it. Despite a limited exchange of words, Aone had managed to bewitch you._ _

__When he told you he loved you, it was unexpected and jarring. The day that Date Tech lost to Aoba Johsai, you had lied to your coaches to miss training for once, desperate to support Aone. He hadn’t expected to see you when he was forced to bow to the Date Tech cheering squad. He certainly hadn’t expected to see you smiling with tears streaming down your face._ _

__He was waiting for you at the bottom of the stairs, his arms stiff at his sides. You clutched onto the hem of his jersey and pulled him close to you, your tears becoming an ocean as apologies spilled out from your lips. "I’m sorry I wasn’t able to make it to more games this year. I know how much this meant to you. I’m so proud of you."__

____Aone lifted his hand and stroked your head, allowing you to selfishly sob, hidden in his arms._ _ _ _

____When your breathing steadied, Aone held out both hands and you nodded, being lifted up and cradled by him. You swept the strands of hair sticking to his forehead up, chuckling softly as Aone blinked rapidly from the dripping sweat._ _ _ _

____“I love you.” He had never been more certain of anything else as you stared at him in utter shock. He repeated, “I love you,” when your mouth opened and closed without making a single sound._ _ _ _

____You crushed yourself to him, not caring that he was dripping with sweat, and mumbled against his ear, “I love you too.”_ _ _ _

____That boy from the pond had become your lover in the blink of an eye on Christmas Eve. You would never spend another holiday alone ever again._ _ _ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you as always for reading! Hopefully I can get the next chapter out before the weekend ends. Comments and kudos are always welcome and always make me smile!


	17. Tendou Satori

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Your sister's wedding and Tendou as your date... what could go wrong?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for this taking so long, but long at last!!! We have the twice requested Tendou!

“You’re doing a disservice to that dress,” Tendou remarked. You snapped around and raised a fist at him, ready to swing. 

“Your tuxedo looks even worse, so shut up. Who wears a red velvet suit?” You teased, fixing the crooked bowtie around his collar. 

Tendou shrugged and examined himself in the mirror across the room. “It was the only suit I had!” 

“And this was the only dress I had that fit the dress code!” 

Tendou lunged at you and spun you around by the waist, allowing the skirt of your dress to flare out around you. You threw your head back and allowed yourself to practically drown in the fabric of the dress, reveling in the bliss of feeling like royalty even though you had originally despised the idea of attending your older half-sister’s wedding during volleyball season. 

You stilled with the help of Tendou again, his hands firmly planted on your waist and your hands on his shoulders. “Thanks for being my date,” you murmured, one hand migrating to comb up through his hair, fixing a particularly crunchy section thanks to his love of hair gel. 

“How could I say no to my princess?” Tendou offered his arm and you took it, certainly needing his help descending the stairs in your four-inch heels. Even in the heels, you were several inches shorter than him. 

As the two of you appeared at the main hall of the wedding hall, your mother drowned you in a hug, fussing over your hair and swiping a darker red lipstick over the gloss you had opted for. “You two look absolutely gorgeous,” she cooed, patting Tendou’s cheek adoringly. “My little princess and her knight.” 

“Realistically,” Tendou mused, “She would be my knight in shining armor and I would be the damsel in distress.” 

You smacked his arm lightly and retorted, “You’re my knight and I’m yours.” It was cheesy, but that was how your friendship had blossomed. Tendou’s primary elementary school bully and self-nominated captain of the elementary school volleyball team was your cousin. When you encountered your cousin kicking a writhing Tendou on the ground, you shoved your cousin into a puddle next to Tendou, screaming bloody murder about treating others how you wanted to be treated. Since then, Tendou and you had stuck together, protecting one another. 

“Well, either way, the two of you look picture-perfect,” your mother gushed, stepping back to snap multiple photos to commemorate the moment. Neither Tendou nor you could be spotted in anything other than your school uniforms, volleyball uniforms, and workout clothes, stemming from pure laziness and a shared hatred of shopping for clothes. 

The maid of honor, your older sister, beckoned for the two of you to line up for the entrance and Tendou guided you cautiously across the room to line up as the last couple. You would be situated just behind your older sister, watching your oldest sister get married just a few feet away. 

The music swelled and the bridal party began moving slowly down the aisle and you stiffened, your hold on Tendou’s arm tightening. “I’m nervous,” you whisper-laughed, unable to ignore the drumming of your heart against your ribcage. 

Tendou leaned over and his lips hovered by your ear and he whispered back, “I’m right here for you. Relax.” You shuddered at his words, suddenly aware of how intimate the moment was, but with your sister’s clearing of the throat, your feet began moving mechanically towards the altar. 

Tendou had his signature bright smile painted on, completely relaxed. Meanwhile, you were smiling but intently focused on placing one foot in front of the other, ensuring that you wouldn’t fall and embarrass yourself. 

When it came time to separate from Tendou to opposite sides of the altar, you reluctantly untangled from him. He quickly tucked a piece of loose hair behind your ear before walking away, making you blush. 

While you loved your oldest sister, you were growing exhausted. You had been wearing the tight gold bridesmaids dress and heels for hours. The vows were poignant and sweet, but you were more engrossed in looking at Tendou, the two of you communicating wordlessly with your eyes. 

You prayed that the videographer didn’t catch your eye rolls and Tendou’s winks while they panned across the bridal party. Finally, at last, the bride and groom shared their first kiss as a married couple and they began their walk out of the hall to the wedding march. You rejoined with Tendou, immediately slipping your arm through his. 

“You’re so weak,” he joked, knowing well how exhausted wearing heels for you were. “How’s your knee?” 

You had injured your knee yesterday during a practice match against the Aoba Johsai girl’s volleyball team and were sporting a nasty bruise over the majority of your right upper thigh under the dress. You winced, remembering your injuries and feeling the dull pain in your knee. 

“The bruise is ignorable but the knee is annoying me,” you muttered, still having a quarter of the aisle to walk. 

“I brought sports tape if you want,” Tendou offered and you vigorously nodded, sighing with relief. 

The entire bridal party was milling around as the guests slowly reemerged and Tendou stood behind you with both hands wrapped around your waist. You leaned back and rested your head on his shoulder, desperate for relief from the pain. 

The clueless photographer intruded into your personal space with a violating flash of the camera and you blinked twice before sending a nasty glare his way. Tendou cackled, “I hope he caught that glare on camera.” 

“Shut up,” you snapped, glaring at Tendou too. 

“Make me,” he teased, his head tipping down precariously close, hovering over your lips. 

Neither of you broke eye contact and it seemed as if your breathing synced momentarily, every inch of your skin electrified and your ears drowning out the noise all around you. Tendou and you had tiptoed the line often, usually wrestling each other on the couch after bickering for the TV remote, ultimately landing you in compromising positions. Perhaps it was the wedding bells, but everything seemed so much more intense between the two of you today.

“Hey!” The bride called out and you detached from Tendou to drift towards her. Your teary sister hugged and kissed you, shattering the unexplainable atmosphere Tendou and you had created. Your attention was fixed on dabbing away your sister’s tears while Tendou sought the far wall, leaning against it to avoid the crowd. 

The bride was called away to change for the reception that was to be held outside in the vineyard and you gravitated towards Tendou once again. 

“Here, let’s go get you taped up.” Tendou escorted you upstairs to the changing rooms for the bridal party. You nearly missed the last step but Tendou’s grip on your waist raised you again. 

“Thanks,” you murmured, brushing the skirt of your dress mindlessly. 

Tendou sat you down in one of the many chairs scattered around the room and you kicked off your heels while he excavated through the pile of bags for his backpack. He turned towards you, triumphantly waving the roll of sports tape around his pinky. You hiked up your dress and fisted the fabric to reveal your knee. 

“Do you have a different pair of shoes to change into for the reception?” 

You shook your head. “No, since we’re expected to take more photos throughout the afternoon.” 

Tendou made a disapproving noise while he ripped pieces of sports tape and cautiously positioned them around your knee. “Hold this,” he held up the roll of tape and you released a handful of fabric, effectively hiding Tendou under your skirt. 

“Shit,” you laughed, frantically gathering the fabric in your hands once again. 

Tendou’s hand landed dangerously high up your thigh for a second before he emerged from under you. 

“Fuck,” he swore, his eyes fixated on your blushing face. “I could kiss you right now.”

You froze, your hands still clutching your skirt. 

“Hey, you in here--” The door swung open and your gaze tore away from Tendou to the door, seeing your brother-in-law standing in the doorway. “Shit, sorry,” he muttered and hastily shut the door, calling out to your mother that you were busy. 

Your eyes grew wide and you released your skirt, slipping into your heels and launching out of the seat, grabbing Tendou’s hand on your way out of the room. You rushed to your brother-in-law’s side, ready with a perfectly reasonable explanation, but Tendou’s cackles and your brother-in-law’s red face stopped you. 

“No need to explain,” he choked out before mumbling an apology and scrambling down the stairs to rejoin your sister. 

You spun to face Tendou, who was hysterically laughing at this point. It was useless trying to shush him, so you grabbed him by the shoulders and smashed your lips to his, silencing him. 

At first, Tendou refused to move. He was terrified that you were teasing him or using this as an easy method to shut him up. But when you started you wrap your arms around his neck to pull him closer, one hand migrated to your lower back and the other cupped the nape of your neck, tipping your head up for a better angle. His lips moved last, gently pressing kisses against your lips, stealing your breath. 

You moaned when his lips migrated to your neck and nipped at your skin, completely oblivious to the people below. You were so visible yet it didn’t matter -- everything was Tendou. You didn’t know where you began and ended, completely absorbed in the moment. 

A whoop from your maid of honor sister finally broke the two of you apart. Your face was flushed and Tendou’s lips were tinted red. You reached to wipe the lipstick off with your thumb, while Tendou trapped you in his arms. 

“You’re mine now,” Tendou announced, tossing your hair over your shoulder to admire the blossoming bruises on your neck. 

You, on the other hand, were mortified. “Tendou!” You brushed your hair over your shoulder to frame your face again, glaring at Tendou. “The rest of the photos, fuck!” You swore and ran into the room with your bag, digging through your makeup pouch for a tube of concealer.

Tendou strolled in, smirking at your frantic attempts to cover up evidence of Tendou left on your body. He attached himself to you from behind, tugging you away from the mirror and kissing your cheek. 

“Satori,” you laughed, batting him away and wrestling free to resume covering up the marks. “Just let me cover these up for the photos.” 

“Fine,” Tendou sighed dramatically, pulling back and twisting his fingers in your hair. The curls of your hair were wrapped neatly around his fingers, which were naked of their usual bandages, specifically for the wedding. 

When you were satisfied with your work, you turned towards him with no trace of a smile. “Be honest with me,” you sandwiched his face between your hands and asked, “Are we just caught in the moment or are we making it out of here as more than friends?” 

Tendou pursed his lips and feigned a thoughtful look. You rolled your eyes and tapped your feet, impatient with his flair for the dramatics. “Princess,” he drew out your nickname seductively. “I’m not letting you go now that I’ve got you.” 

Satisfied with his response, you pressed your lips against him sweetly, your eyes fluttering closed as his did. “You look gorgeous,” Tendou murmured and you smiled. 

Your mother called out for you in the hallway and you gasped, realizing that the reception was beginning soon. “We’re needed downstairs!” 

In your haste, you ran into the corner of a table, forcing you to double over in pain. “Fuck!” 

Tendou’s hand rubbed circles over your bruise, chuckling and covering your exposed shoulder with kisses. “Come on, we have to show our faces eventually. I promise to massage you when the reception is over.” 

Grumbling, you allowed Tendou to escort you downstairs and out into the vineyard, where your mother gave you cheeky glances while the toasts were going on. 

Dinner was pleasant, with Tendou’s hand never leaving your thigh under the table. You leaned into him as you laughed and he stole glances of you every so often. While everyone in your family knew that something in the air had changed, no one could quite put the finger on it, with the exception of your mother and your brother-in-law. No one had witnessed your makeout session apparently and the whoop from your older sister was actually for your other sister as she twirled in her wedding dress. 

People began to flood the dance floor and Tendou silently asked if you wanted to join them with his eyes. You nodded subtly and he took you by the hand, escorting you into the crowd. 

“Will you take me home soon?” The whine in your voice was obvious to Tendou, who keenly observed your deteriorating condition through the night. 

“Of course, princess.” Tendou rocked the two of you back and forth, your head snugly nestled in the crook of his neck. 

When the song ended, you signaled to your mother that you were leaving and your mother winked. You rolled your eyes and stuck out your tongue and Tendou winked back at your mother.  
You sighed and shook your head but smiled, thankful that you had your mother’s approval. 

The car ride home was quiet, with you dozing off and Tendou humming some unrecognizable song. Tendou didn’t want to wake you, instead opting to carry you into the house, bridal style. He fished your house keys out of your purse slung over his shoulder and he nudged the door open with his shoulder, careful not to disturb you. 

You stirred slightly when he slipped off your heels but fell back into sleep as he laid you down in your bed. He settled in next to you after changing into a pair of grey sweatpants of yours that was originally his. With a makeup remover wipe in his hand, he gently removed all traces of the makeup on your face and neck, knowing well that you religiously prescribed to the “no makeup in bed” rule. 

Tendou got up to throw away the makeup wipes and he was satisfied with his work. You were peacefully asleep, your face buried in the pillow. The stifling heat made him abandon a shirt before joining you and when you felt the weight of the mattress shift with him, you cuddled next to him. 

At some point in the night, you tore off your dress and stumbled into one of Tendou’s old shirts that he had left in your room months ago. You curled up half on top of him, your ear pressed against his chest, soothed by his steady heartbeat. 

You woke up before him but chose to stay still and bask in the peace of the early morning. A few minutes later, Tendou stretched his arm and tugged you closer, practically pulling you on top of him. 

“Morning, princess,” he croaked, pressing a kiss to your forehead. 

“Are we a thing?” You supported your head on your hands and looked down at Tendou. 

“Actually, no, I take it all back,” Tendou grinned, excitedly teasing you just to rile you up. You smacked his chest and rolled off of him, your back facing him. “Come here,” he sighed, forcing you to roll over and face him again. 

Your hands were covering your face in an attempt to hide the smile creeping up on your lips. When he tugged at your hands, you revealed your smile to him and ambushed him with a kiss, rolling away before he could capture you. 

“You know we have conditioning in an hour?” You called out as you sauntered out of the bedroom and into the bathroom, preparing for a shower. 

“Yup. I’m running home to change,” Tendou announced, pulling back the curtain just enough to kiss you. “I’ll pick you up in an hour?” 

“Sounds good.”

When you walked into Shiratorizawa holding hands with Tendou, you immediately regretted it. The worst part was Ushijima staring at the two of you, but the shriek from Goshiki took second place. 

Tendou smiled brilliantly at you and you rolled your eyes, reluctantly kissing him in front of his teammates before heading to the other gym for your conditioning. 

“See you later, princess!” Tendou sang and you couldn't resist sticking your middle finger up at him for the embarrassment and teasing that would continue for two months.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm nearing the end of the character list I created for myself, so please feel free to comment any requests for characters I haven't posted so far! Thank you for reading and bearing with the inconsistent posts <3 comments and kudos are much loved!


	18. Miya Osamu

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fried food hits the spot when you're drunk, but when your friend insists on taking you to a new neighborhood restaurant, you shut up and follow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Atsumu will be out tomorrow :)

“The last thing I want when I’m drunk is onigiri,” you whined, but your friend insisted on dragging you to the new restaurant that had popped up over the summer. “We just went to our first frat party of the year and all I want is fried food!” 

“Shut up and follow me, I have my reasons!” Your friend dragged you by the arm down the brightly lit street and you stumbled behind, squinting at your feet in a feeble attempt to maintain some degree of balance. 

Onigiri Miya had been set up over the summer before your senior year of college and had quickly become a neighborhood staple for families living in your college town. You walked past it every day on your way to work off-campus but had never passed through the doors yourself. 

Your friend nudged the door open with her foot, catching it just before it closed as a small group of freshmen huddled in. 

“Why--” you began but when your bleary eyes landed on the man behind the counter, you shut up immediately. Instead, you sharply turned to your best friend and kissed her cheek. “Ugh, you know me so well,” you gushed, clutching her tightly in your arms. She slapped your arm and you loosened up, returning to her side to stare at the man again. 

He was exactly your type. Undeniably so. He had a cheeky smile on his face as he made onigiri behind the countertop and the rest of his face... well, you had no complaints whatsoever and any cravings for mozzarella sticks vanished from your brain. 

“Welcome!” He shouted out, his scanning eyes locking with yours for a nanosecond as he scanned the crowd of customers. Plenty of onigiris were pre-made and hands clamored to grab one from the counter. 

Your friend guided you to sit on the stools at the counter, placing you directly in front of the charming owner. 

Thank goodness alcohol dissolved your inhibitions because before you knew it, you leaned slightly forward to introduce yourself. He didn’t shake your hand since he was wearing gloves to make onigiri but flashed a quick smile at you. “Osamu Miya, nice to meet you.” 

You didn’t want to make a complete fool of yourself, but it was obvious with your slight forward lean and unfocused eyes that you were drunk. 

“What’d ya like?” His hands were busy yet his eyes were trained on you and you were acutely aware of his active observation of you. 

“Got anything with tuna?” 

“My brother’s favorite is tuna with spring onions. I’ll whip one up for ya fresh.” 

Your friend pressed against your shoulder and whispered in your ear, “My boyfriend’s coming to pick me up, you’ll make it home alright alone?” 

You nodded and kissed her on the cheek, patting her assuringly on the back as she stumbled away, pushing past the growing number of bodies lining up to pay for their food. 

For a while, you watched Osamu prepare the orders ahead of yours, but your alcohol-addled brain slowly molded you into a perfect sleeping position -- your arms crossed on the countertop and your head snuggled into them, making a perfect makeshift pillow for you. The chattering of the customers behind you blurred over time and disappeared altogether once your eyes closed. 

A poke on your head made you jump awake in your seat. Rubbing your eyes, you immediately began to apologize for falling asleep and your drunkenness. It took a second for you to adjust to the brightness of the overhead lights in the restaurant, but after a few blinks, Osamu’s face appeared clearly in view. 

He placed your order down in front of you and grinned. He cocked his head and casually revealed, “You’re cute when you sleep.” 

If you weren’t already flushed from the alcohol, you would be a bright tomato red. “Thank you for the food,” you murmured, digging in eagerly. The first bite was orgasmic. Food always tasted better when you were drunk, but even with a small appetite, you knew that you would crave this sober. 

Slowly, it dawned upon you that it was nearly three in the morning and the rest of the store was empty. Osamu propped himself up on his elbows and leaned over the counter to watch you while you ate. The staring was a little burdensome, so you attempted light conversation to divert some of the attention off of you.

“So, how old are you? You seem awfully young for a business owner.” You wiped your mouth on the corner of a napkin lying nearby and looked sleepily up at Osamu. 

“Twenty-three,” he quipped, walking around the counter to plop down in a seat next to you. “You?”

“Twenty-one.” 

Osamu squinted at you and asked teasingly, “You’re not lying are you?” You rolled your eyes and jammed your fists into your jacket pockets in search of your phone. You slid out the driver’s license card from behind your phone case and waved it in his face, holding it between two fingers. 

“I turned twenty-one last month.” You stuck your tongue out at him and finished both onigiris while Osamu scrolled through his phone. 

Every so often, you could feel his gaze on you, but you chose to ignore it. Now that you were full, not only were you sleepy and drunk but sleepy from a full stomach as well. 

“Thank you for the food.” You handed him a wad of bills and patted his hand when he offered back the change. “Keep it. I’ve kept your shop open way past closing time.” 

The chime of the cash register was the last thing you heard before you blearily pushed your way out of the shop, blinking a few times to adjust to the darkened street. It was only late September but the nights were already chilly, making you shiver. The high of your drunkenness was wearing off, making you more perceptible to the slight wind. 

“Hey!” You turned on your heel, a little too quickly for your liking, experiencing a slight bout of nausea. 

“What’s up, did I leave something?” You crossed your arms and dragged your hands up and down your arms, praying that the friction would generate some heat. 

“Let me walk ya home. It’s late,” Osamu shrugged off his jacket and threw it in your direction, forcing you to stumble forward to catch it. 

“Thank you,” you murmured, eagerly pulling the jacket over your shoulders. 

The walk back to campus wasn’t far and you insisted that Osamu didn’t need to accompany you. He didn’t want to hear any of it. He escorted you all the way to your door and for a moment, you considered whether or not to invite him in. Was he looking for a hookup? Was that why he was being so nice? 

You held out the jacket for him and focused on unlocking your door as quietly as possible. You had a roommate and didn’t want to risk waking her up. Holding the door slightly ajar with your foot, you turned your head to face Osamu and whispered, “Have a good night.” He flashed you a charming grin and something in your brain clicked. 

A hand darted out to capture a handful of his shirt and you yanked him close, leaning towards him to kiss him. You planned for it to be a quick kiss, but Osamu’s hand sneaked up to the back of your neck, threading your hair in his fingers. He held you within the kiss, eliciting a weak moan from you when your head spun from the lack of oxygen. 

“Good night.” His lips were pressed against the shell of your ear and before your muddled brain could react, Osamu was gone. 

You stumbled into your room, collapsing against the door as you closed it. You didn’t make it into bed that night. 

Since that night, you had seen Osamu consistently on a biweekly basis. On your commute to your internship across town, Onigiri Miya had become your favorite lunch spot. It was quick, cheap, convenient, and gave you access to Osamu. After the first two weeks, at 4 PM on the dot every Tuesday and Thursday, a brown paper bag with a tuna and spring onion onigiri, a grilled salmon cream cheese onigiri, and a carton of strawberry milk. You visited the shop every Saturday night a half hour before closing time to pay your tab and help Osamu wipe down the countertops and stools.

Some days, Osamu would wink at you as you dashed in to grab your lunch. Other days, the shop was swamped and you disappeared, the only sign of your presence being the missing lunch bag. 

You frequented the shop after any party, stumbling in and making a beeline for the bathroom before planting yourself right in front of Osamu at the counter. He took you home every time, ruffling your hair just before you disappeared into the darkness of your room. 

This Friday night was no different. You were slumped over on the counter, fiddling with your keys and nursing a bottle of cold water Osamu had placed in front of you ten minutes ago. The alcohol wasn’t helping your eyes to focus, but you managed to squint at the girl who was currently making Osamu laugh. She was annoyingly pretty, having that girl-next-door vibe. Her laughter was bubbly and adorable and her casual hand on Osamu’s shoulder shifted your squint to a glare. 

You came to the shop every chance you could, hoping that this time would be the time you could dare to ask Osamu on a date. The smallest part of you, the meek part, wanted him to have noticed and asked you, but you knew it was selfish to think so. 

Drunk and jealous, you dug through your purse for a travel-sized bottle of vodka that you downed. It burned on the down your throat, which you soothed with a gulp of the cold water. 

“Reckless, aren’t ya?” 

You were so fucked up that you were seeing Osamu with blond hair all of a sudden, his head resting on his arm on the counter, looking directly at you. 

“Yeah, that last bottle was not a good idea,” you muttered, threading your fingers through blond-Osamu’s hair, eyes glossy and extremely fascinated. 

“‘Tsumu.” Your fingers left blond-Osamu’s hair when he turned to face the direction of the voice. 

You gasped and squirmed away from the two men, one blond and one grey-haired. You rubbed your eyes vigorously and blinked, convinced that the last bottle wasn’t just vodka. “Holy shit, there are two Osamus,” you exclaimed. 

Both laughed at you and your head was spinning from looking at one then the other, then back to the other. 

“Meet my twin brother, Atsumu.” Atsumu reached out to shake your hand and you shook it tentatively, reeling from the introduction of a twin. 

“Let’s dump ‘Samu and go for another round, huh?” Atsumu’s eyes twinkled and at this point, you weren’t going to say no.

Much to Osamu’s avoidance, Atsumu supported you with his arm under yours and the two of you stumbled to the bar down the street. 

When you woke up the next morning, all you could focus on was the dryness of your throat. When you sat up, you looked down to see a shirt with Inarizaki High printed on it and no pants. Scanning the room seized with fear, you racked your brain for any clues as to what happened after you left Onigiri Miya last night. 

Cautiously and quietly, you crept through the room, gathering your clothes that were strewn all over the room in your arms. You peeked through the slightly open door and smiled when you caught the twins collapsed on the couch and the recliner. 

Your clothes reeked of alcohol, so you opted to stay in the shirt, creeping through the kitchen for water and anything to eat. By the time the twins woke up, you had a spoonful of peanut butter in your mouth and a piece of bread in your hand. 

“Morning sunshine,” you mumbled, pausing to swallow. Osamu stared at you with interest, eyeing you up and down. 

He motioned for you to follow him and you did, all the way back into his room. You closed the door behind you to not disturb Atsumu.

“Remember anything from last night?” His voice was barely above a whisper and you shook your head. 

“I remember leaving your shop,” you admitted quietly, “But not much else.” 

“Want a reminder?” His voice was low and when you nodded, he gave you a split second before pulling you towards him with your arm. One hand snaked around your waist and the other cupped your face, your breathing rapidly quickening. “Remember now?” 

The truth was, as soon as Osamu’s hand wrapped around your waist, you were inundated by glimpses of last night. 

You remembered sitting across from Atsumu, knocking back shot glasses of sake. 

You remembered interrupting him over and over again, complaining about the beautiful blonde girl that Osamu was talking to, questioning him if Osamu was dating anyone. 

You remembered Osamu rushing in after he had closed up his shop, sitting down next to you. 

You remembered leaning against him, still whining to Atsumu about how you didn’t even like onigiri before meeting him, yet found your legs guiding you to Onigiri Miya every time you were drunk. 

You remembered falling face-first into Osamu’s bed, falling asleep immediately. 

You remembered waking up sometime in the early morning, sweating. You had stripped and grabbed a shirt hanging over the desk chair, blindly yanking it over your head before collapsing in bed again. 

“I remember some,” you hesitantly confessed, your hand shaking as you reached up to brush Osamu’s hair out of his eyes. “I get jealous.” 

Osamu cracked a smile and you continued. “I feel like I’m deluding myself, thinking that maybe you like me too with all you do for me. But then, I think about how maybe you’re just nice and I’m reading too into everything and--” 

He kindly cut you off with a kiss, which you appreciated. It was undoubtedly one of the best ways to be told to shut up. You melted into him, your hands wandering up his back and into his hair. It was just as coarse as Atsumu’s, thanks to years of dyeing his hair. 

The door flung open and while you tried to turn, Osamu’s iron grip pinned you to him, his lips and tongue unrelenting against you. 

“I just wanted to shower before I headed out,” Atsumu dashed into the adjoining bathroom and when the door shut, Osamu finally let you go. 

“Just wanted to prove that I have a girlfriend now,” Osamu teased, pinching your cheek. “‘Tsumu’s been single for a year.” 

You rolled your eyes at the childish rivalry but gave him a peck on the cheek. “I’m not some prize,” you declared, shoving him back and onto his bed.

“You’re not.” His voice was dead serious and his eyes soft. “I’ve been tellin’ him all about ya and well,” Osamu reached out and entangled his fingers with yours. “He thought you were cuter than I described and I got jealous.” 

You swung your hand that was intertwined with his back and forth, unable to suppress a smile. “Can I admit something?” 

“Sure.”

“I like fried food when I’m drunk.” 

“Get out.” 

After that day, you still showed up to Onigiri Miya drunk and munched on Osamu’s tuna and spring onion onigiri, but behind the counter and usually clinging onto Osamu from behind. When he closed up the shop, he took you to the nearest bar and bought you fried macaroni and cheese balls as a treat. While he didn't enjoy fried food as much as you did, he was content watching you and holding your hand.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading! As always, comments and kudos are loved! Up next are Atsumu, Mattsun, Makki, and Semi :)


	19. Miya Atsumu

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Miya Atsumu fixates on you as his new lucky charm but refuses to admit that he loves you. What's going on and why won't he just admit the obvious?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Goodness, thank you so much for 500+ kudos! The support really inspires me to keep writing as an escape from my uni work! I hope you enjoy Miya Atsumu being an angsty and lovestruck boy! Also please forgive me for any mistakes in this particular chapter as I was not 100% ~present~ completing this.

When you transferred to Inarizaki High in your second year, you didn't realize how popular volleyball was. As a cheerleader, you were more used to cheering at soccer and basketball games much more than volleyball games. 

“Now, there’s one rule at volleyball games,” your cheer captain lectured, walking far ahead of you at a hurried pace. “When Atsumu is serving, we need to be absolutely silent.” 

You had no idea who Atsumu was, but you nodded obediently, following your captain into the gymnasium. 

Big mistake. When a blond went to serve, you began the typical cheer and promptly shut your mouth when the entire cheer team, the entire Inarizaki student body, and the blond athlete below on the court glared at you. 

You didn’t hear the end of it from your captain, who complained that your mistake had cost you the game, which simply wasn’t true, in your opinion. Sure, Atsumu had missed the serve, but how was that your fault? 

After the scolding from your captain, you weaved through the gymnasium complex to hide in an equipment room, exhausted from cheering with your voice rather than with your body for the first time. Bruises and twisted ankles you could deal with. The endless chants and cheers, not so much. 

Did you even want to cry? You just felt so alienated and frustrated, you kicked a stack of metal chairs to relieve some tension. Big mistake. The stack came tumbling down and narrowly missed you. You flattened yourself against the wall, breathing heavily and shakily. 

The door screeched open and a blonde head peered in, scanning the dimly lit room. 

“You.” 

“Yeah, me,” you squeaked, peeling yourself off the wall. 

It was Atsumu, you looked less than pleased to see you. “You made this mess?” 

“Well,” you sighed, bending down to stack the fallen chairs, “After that huge fuck up during your serve, my cheer captain tore me a new one.” 

“New to the team?” Atsumu shut the door and joined you, although he didn’t bother to help you stack the chairs. 

You shot him a nasty look when he leaned against the door, relaxing with his arms crossed. He didn’t budge. “New to the school,” you shot him a deadly glare, your voice laced with venom. You were characteristically defensive, fearing that he would lash out after your mistake during his serve. 

“I’m really sensitive when I serve.” 

You huffed, “I could tell,” eyeing him again when he didn’t budge to help. “I’m sorry, I didn’t know that you were Atsumu. My captain reminded me, but I didn’t know it was you serving.”

You finished stacking up the chairs by yourself and stood with your arms crossed a few feet in front of Atsumu, who was blocking your way. 

“Do it again,” was all Atsumu said before leaving you alone in the room. His words didn’t sound like a threat or a challenge, yet you were puzzled. If he hated being disturbed while he served, then why would he want you to bother him again? 

The next match was scheduled for tomorrow and you didn’t give much thought to your conversation with Atsumu that night. You had to get up early for gymnastics practice and you had a paper due at midnight. Schoolwork was more of a concern than your cheers at the next volleyball game. 

When you showed up to the match, you had made up your mind. The Inarizaki team was warming up when the cheer squad filed into the bustling gymnasium and you broke apart from your team to grab Atsumu off the court. 

“Hey!” He protested, but your grip on his wrist tightened, your fingers burning at the sensation of him twisting his arm. You dragged him out of the gymnasium and into the stairwell, slamming the door shut behind him with your foot. 

“Why do you want me to bother your serve? Do you want me to get kicked off the team for yesterday?” You demanded answers and lined yourself directly in front of him, toe to toe. 

Atsumu burst out into a grin, infuriating you. You repeated your questions slowly, struggling to keep your voice even. 

“I like knowin’ exactly where ya are during the match,” Atsumu shrugged, peering at you with interest. 

You rolled your eyes and diverted your eyes, choosing to stare at the door. “And why do you like knowing that?” 

“Just do as I ask, princess.” His voice was saccharine and he leaned in, his lips only a few centimeters away from yours. Unconsciously, you held your breath, feeling cornered despite being the one caging him. 

His fingers wrapped around your arms and moved you aside to return to practice. 

You weren’t paying attention to the game at all, mindlessly parroting the cheers of your team while debating back and forth in your head whether or not to break the silence during Atsumu’s serve. 

You nearly didn’t notice it was his turn to serve until the distant echoes of cheers and screams disappeared. 

Below, Atsumu was clutching the ball and his back was to the court. His eyes were darting across the stands, scanning the audience. Perhaps it was pity, or perhaps it was instinct. It didn’t matter at all, because you couldn’t stop yourself from shouting, “Atsumu!” It was embarrassing to have all the attention on you and right now, all you wanted was to have a giant sinkhole appear and swallow you up. 

His eyes found you immediately, locking with yours. He looked engrossed and what was realistically three seconds felt like three minutes. He looked away and turned around, all his concentration back on the game. 

Cheers erupted when Inarizaki was awarded a service ace. 

Since then, there was an unspoken agreement between Atsumu and you, in which you would shout for his name just before his serve, he would pinpoint your location in the crowd, and then, he would serve. When you offered to just tell him the general area you would most likely be seated, he wouldn’t have any of it. He insisted on knowing _exactly _where you were during his serve. In return, he would appear randomly at your side during the school day, with a carton of strawberry milk from a vending machine, lingering just long enough for you to accept it. Thankful, you held his hand for an extra second or shot him a brilliant smile, hoping that he was looking for you in the crowd for another reason than just a lucky charm.__

__One day, you latched onto his wrist like you did when you first met him._ _

__“Do you like me?” You were always straightforward with him._ _

__Simply, he denied it and walked away._ _

__Your little agreement with Atsumu didn’t make a significant difference on his performance, yet, you learned just how much you meant to him when you missed a game._ _

__The yearly flu shot you got a couple of days ago had triggered a particularly intense reaction in you, resulting in a 103-degree fever and muscle aches. You missed their game against Karasuno, hearing the live match commentary on the internet instead. You fell asleep during the second set, curled up in your bed with the fan gently blowing on you._ _

__“Sweetheart,” you heard your mother then felt a shake of your shoulders. You groaned and rolled over, your back sticky with sweat. Your hair was plastered to your forehead and your mother’s delicate fingers swept them away. “You have a friend outside.”_ _

__Your brows furrowed and you stared at your mother quizzically. “Who?”_ _

__“He’s blond? He’s also in a jersey, if that helps.” Your mother raised you, tucking her arms under yours and pulling you up and out from the covers._ _

__You winced as you pulled a hoodie and sweatpants on before shuffling out the door. Atsumu tapping his foot and his arms were crossed, waiting for you just outside the door. The results of the match were unknown to you, but judging by the brooding look on his face, it wasn’t good._ _

__A shiver ran down your spine as your fever broke. “Hey,” you waved weakly. Atsumu crushed you into a hug, burying his face in the crook of your neck. Your hand hesitantly landed between his shoulder blades and you rhythmically patted him._ _

__“I missed ya today,” He murmured into your hoodie. His usual goofy self that you observed at school when he was with his twin brother had vanished. The vulnerability made your stomach do somersaults._ _

__“Sorry I couldn’t be there,” you croaked. “How was the match?”_ _

__“We lost.”_ _

__“I’m sorry.”_ _

__You held him for quite a while, soothing him as he melted into you. His hold on you was tight and after a bit, you felt weak, having spent all day in bed. “Atsumu, I’m tired,” you admitted, and immediately, he squatted slightly and tucked his arms behind your knees, lifting you._ _

__“Are ya okay?” Atsumu lifted his head to examine you with his own eyes._ _

__You managed to smile for him in a feeble attempt to not worry him any further. It didn’t work. He measured your temperature with the back of his hand and his face scrunched up._ _

__“You’ll get wrinkles,” you scolded, smoothing your thumbs over his forehead. Your movements stilled and you stared at Atsumu as cold as you could in an attempt to unnerve him. “Be honest, do you like me? I won’t be offended if you say no, but you’re saying one thing and acting the complete opposite.”_ _

__“I do.” You waited for him to elaborate but he refused._ _

__Patience was not a virtue you possessed and you motioned with your fingers for him to put you down. He didn’t comply and you landed a solid smack on his shoulder blade to encourage him. His hold on you tightened._ _

__“I like ya a lot,” he trailed off, biting his lip. There was something nagging at him, yet his lips were pressed into a thin line, no longer moving._ _

__“But?” You egged him on, desperate for an answer._ _

__“‘Samu likes you too.” His voice was soft and melancholy and he swallowed thickly, his lips quivering as he put you down._ _

__“But what if I like you too?” You were breathless from the first confession you had ever received in your life._ _

__Atsumu shook his head and dropped you down onto the ground. “I’m really sorry,” was all he could muster up before he disappeared into the darkness._ _

__For the remainder of high school, you distanced yourself from Atsumu, despite remaining on the cheer squad. You no longer shouted his name during his serves and no longer did his eyes scour the crowd for you._ _

__Both of you graduated a year later, not having exchanged a word since the day of the Karasuno game. You went to university and landed a job as a product developer for a famous fitness clothing company. Nearly five years had passed when you reunited with Atsumu again._ _

__As the product developer, all the advertisements with famous athletes had to be approved by you. Therefore, you were involved in the filming of all advertisements and that was where you laid your eyes on Atsumu. He had always been the one that got away and to be confronted by him, a nationally recognized volleyball player, you were terrified and excited simultaneously._ _

__When you saw him on set, his ever-dyed blond hair shining against the green screen, your heart stopped. You took several seconds to compose yourself, actively reminding yourself that you were no longer that shy girl from high school._ _

__The filming progressed like nothing was wrong, with you keeping a respectful distance away from the players and instead communicating directly with the set coordinator to suggest some poses and angles._ _

__You thought you were safe as you assisted the director break down the set._ _

__“Hi,” Atsumu cornered you while you were rolling up a long extension cord._ _

__He looked just slightly older than when he showed up with a carton of strawberry milk while you were lingering in the hallways during your second year of high school. You felt like you were transported back to high school, where you had the bravery to confront him about liking you, but too meek to make the next move._ _

__You threw your hair over your shoulder and glanced at him. “Hi. How are you and Osamu?”_ _

__“I’m still in love with ya,” he grinned, his teeth glistening with his wide smile. “‘Samu, on the other hand, has a gal.”_ _

__Relief washed over you. Seeing him in the MSBY Black Jackal jersey made your blood run the opposite direction. Despite being on set, despite having tens of eyes around to witness you, you didn’t care. You tugged him towards you with your fingers clenched around the hem of his jersey and you smashed your lips to his, eager to make up for the lost time._ _

__A flash of the camera forced the two of you apart. The next day, your mini-makeout session with Atsumu made headlines on search engines, with numerous journalists questioning your identity. If it was anyone else, you would have been frustrated, yet because it was Atsumu, because it was him, it didn’t matter._ _

__At his next match, Atsumu willingly participated in an interview to address all the rumors._ _

__“Atsumu, when did you start dating your girlfriend?” An interviewer shouted at him, shoving a microphone to his face._ _

__Atsumu stepped back to maintain a modicum of personal space before responding respectfully. “I’ve loved her since I was in high school.”_ _

__“What’s her name?” “What’s her occupation?” “How old is she?” “Is she after your money?” The questions were endless but Atsumu had an answer for each question._ _

__“I wouldn’t wanna share her with the world so early, ya know? I’ve loved her for a while and I know what we have will last a long time.” Atsumu bowed respectfully and retreated to the locker rooms, opting to ignore the remainder of the questions. He hadn’t discussed much of this with you and the last thing he wanted to do was to cross a line._ _

__He received a massage and showered at the MSBY Black Jackal training center before driving home, anticipating you to be waiting for him by the door. By the time you arrived home, Atsumu was curled up in the huge empty bed, his hand clutching your pillow._ _

__You tried to sneak in bed after your shower but Atsumu was already sitting up against the headboard when you shut the water off in the shower._ _

__“Sorry, babe,” you whispered, placing a quick kiss on his lips before snuggling under the covers._ _

__“Long day?” Atsumu huddled against your back, assuming his place as a big spoon as he did each night._ _

__You nodded and sighed, groaning as you stretched your legs and arms. “I saw your interview. Thank you.” You shifted to face him in bed, placing soft kisses on his nose and cheeks. “I’ll love you for a long time,” you whispered, lacing your fingers with his. You earned a mischievous smile from Atsumu._ _

__His eyes twinkled and he lowered his voice to say in your ear, “Wanna show me how much ya love me, doll?”_ _

__You giggled as he pinned you underneath him, mentally bracing yourself for the long night ahead._ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lots of love to all of my readers! Thank you for the comments and kudos, they really encourage me to keep writing! Mattsun is up next, hopefully to be published within the next couple of days!


	20. Matsukawa Issei

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You've been friends with Issei since birth but have been slowly wanting more. How much overt flirting can you do before he gets the hint?

Matsukawa was one of the most patient men you had ever met in your life. At the young age of 18, he was stoic and easygoing, caving in to every single demand of yours. He was cursed with the unfortunate role of being your next-door-neighbor since you were born but you were blessed with his friendship, even though after 18 years, you were wanting something a little more. 

“Issei,” you sang as you waltzed into his bedroom, twirling past his hunched form, nibbling on a pen at his desk, and gracefully falling backward onto his bed. “Wanna go to the movies with me?” You rolled to your size and nabbed the extra pillow by your head to hug it in front of you.

“Mhm,” Issei replied but was clearly occupied with whatever he was doing at his desk. You threw the pillow in your arms at the back of Issei’s head, immediately flipping over to face away from him. 

With a sigh, you heard Issei shift on his chair and the pillow landed softly at your side once again. Unsatisfied with his response, you exhaled dramatically and rose from the bed to saunter over to Issei. 

Pressing your lips against his ear, you whispered, “I’m bored, play with me,” hoping to get more of a rise out of him. Unfortunately, after spending his entire life with you, he was practically immune to all your tricks. You peered over his shoulder and saw that he was focused on a calculus problem. “You forgot to derive that part,” you pointed to the middle of the equation. When Issei didn’t move, you plucked the pen from between his fingers and scribbled down the solution. 

Content with your math, you returned the pen to Issei, who shut his notebook and placed the pen through the rings. “Thanks, I was on that problem for the last fifteen minutes.” 

You chuckled and ruffled his hair, earning a whine. “You should’ve just asked me earlier, I was just making tea downstairs.” Issei used his feet to turn his chair around and you scooted back to avoid blocking him. 

Looking at him with puppy dog eyes, you pouted and asked, “Can we hang out now? I feel like I haven’t seen you in weeks with all your practices.” It was true. All the third-years opted to hold extra practices on their usual Mondays off, robbing you of any spare time that Issei had to spend time with you. They were desperate to go to Nationals and you wholeheartedly supported them, but you feared that the boys were pushing their limits. 

Although his eyes were always relaxed, Issei looked especially worn out. “How about a self-care day? I’ll pamper you and all you have to do is lie down on your bed.” 

As always, Issei agreed, stretching his arms high above his head before rolling onto his bed. You disappeared for a few minutes to prepare a clay face mask for him and sliced cucumbers fresh from the fridge for his eyes. 

When you reappeared, his eyes were closed and his breathing was slow and even. Just looking at him made you feel cozy from the familiarity of him. Cautiously, you crawled onto the bed with your supplies, planting your knees on each side of Issei’s thighs. You leaned down and painted his face with the mask and laid the cucumbers over his eyes.

If you were bold enough, you would lean down and just kiss him but you wouldn’t dare. Issei seemed immune to the intense flirting that you aimed at him, just absorbing and neutralizing all your attempts to probe and examine whether Issei liked you back or just dealt with you. So you were content to just admire him one-sided, afraid to rock the boat. 

Pleased with the coverage of the mask, you lit a candle on his bedside table, a Christmas gift that you had given him, and cuddled him, resting your head on Issei’s broad chest, just over his heart. You didn’t mind not doing an activity with him, since all you really wanted was to spend time with him. 

His hand shifted from his side to your back, assuredly holding you in place. You curled your legs around his and with his free hand, Issei grasped the crumpled blanket next to him and draped it over you. 

The two of you drifted off to sleep, tangled with each other. 

“Lookie here, Iwa-chan.” Oikawa’s lilting voice made Issei shift under you. You felt unstable but his hand was planted on your back and he carefully rolled with you to his side. Desperate to sleep for just a few more minutes, you buried your head in his chest, breathing him in deeply. He smelled like spices, most likely from the body wash you had given him for his birthday. 

“Why on earth are you here, Oikawa?” You grumbled, your voice muffled against Issei. “It’s my one day with Issei.” 

Oikawa laughed and the bed dipped as Oikawa sandwiched you between himself and Issei. “Karasuno just made an offer we can’t refuse,” Oikawa explained, propping himself up by his elbow. “A practice match in an hour at Karasuno. We need you there, Mattsun.” 

You shot Oikawa a death glare, your eyes silently cursing at him only for him to stick out his tongue at you. You pulled the pillow out from under his arm and mounted him, smacking his face from side to side with the pillow. “You always hang out with Issei,” you gritted through your teeth, with each word punctuated by a hit from the pillow. 

Iwaizumi chuckled softly from behind, clearly amused at your position. You shot a glare at him too and he raised both his hands in submission. You turned to look at Issei, expecting him to be expressionless, but instead, he was glaring at Oikawa. 

“I’ll be ready in five minutes,” Issei pointed to the door, “You and precious Iwa-chan can wait downstairs.” Issei’s arms were secured around your waist and he lifted you off of Oikawa and plopped you back on top of him. 

Oikawa and Iwaizumi exchanged unreadable looks and left the room, closing the door behind them. 

Your lips were already parting to whine but Issei was one step ahead of you. “Sorry,” Issei pinched your chubby cheeks between his fingers. You huffed and rolled off of him, knowing that you shouldn't be selfish. You stood over him and picked up the cucumbers that had fallen off his eyes. 

“Come here,” you tugged on his arm, “I’ll help you wash the mask off.” Issei followed obediently and you sat him down on the covered toilet, standing between his legs, using one hand to tilt his head back and the other to carefully wipe away the dried clay mask with a warm wet towel. His hands rested on the back of your thighs, running up and down slowly and mindlessly. 

Satisfied with your work, you tossed the dirty towel into the sink and cupped his face in your hands. “All done,” you announced, poking his nose. “I’ll see you at school tomorrow?”

“I’ll do you one better.” This time, Issei held your face in his hands and leaned into you. “I’ll come by after the practice match.” 

You burst into a smile and kissed the tip of his nose. “I’ll see you later, then.” 

A distinct pep in your step raised Oikawa and Iwaizumi’s eyebrows as you entered the living room. “No longer mad at me?” Oikawa probed and you nodded. 

“Win the game in straight sets so Issei can come over to my place early,” you sang, your voice laced with a veiled threat. You waved at the boys and walked next door to your house and settled at your desk, determined to finish all your homework so you could hang out with Issei later. 

Your schoolwork was done an hour before dinner and judging from Oikawa’s radio silence on the phone, the volleyball match was still ongoing. 

_Match just finished. We won._ Issei’s message had interrupted a Tetris game on your phone but you immediately clicked off the game to reply. 

_If you’re tired, I’ll just see you at school tomorrow_

_No, I want to see you._

_Alright, door’s open_ You rose from your bed to unlock the door for Issei while you whipped up some fried rice in the kitchen. You made enough for Issei, imagining that he hadn’t been able to eat since lunch at school hours ago. 

You stood with your back to the door, the TV in the living room just barely audible. An apron was tied around your waist as you chopped and diced vegetables and added them to the wok with leftover rice. As the rice and vegetables sizzled, you added soy sauce and fried eggs on another pan, your stomach rumbling but focused on not letting the rice burn. 

Arms wrapped around your waist and a head nuzzled your neck. “Hi,” Issei exhaled and you stiffened. This position felt so intimate, his body pressed up against yours in such a domestic setting. 

You cleared your throat and turned to look at him. “Hi,” you tried your best to keep your voice even, but the proximity to him was overwhelming. “Issei, unless you want me to kiss you right now, can you detach from me?” You breathed out, your voice shaking like a leaf. 

Issei didn’t give a verbal answer but instead planted a kiss on your cheek. Ever the man of a few words. You turned off the stove and abandoned the wooden spoon you had been stirring with. You shuffled to face Issei and looked up at him with a serious face. “Issei, don’t tease me,” you warned, giving him one last chance to back out. 

A small smile formed on his lips and you took the jump, raising yourself up on your toes to kiss Issei. It was quick, barely lasting two seconds, but your heart was thumping and your cheeks were rosy. Issei didn’t give you much time to calm yourself as he tilted your chin up to meet your lips with his again. His hands traveled down to your waist and roamed the small of your back while your hands were frozen on his back. 

To be honest, you were in disbelief that you were currently kissing Issei but also concerned as Issei lifted you up and attempted to sit you down on the stovetop. 

“Issei,” you broke apart and scolded him, “I just made food, we either eat or we’re going to my room and continuing this.” 

You got your answer when Issei tossed you over his left shoulder and marched out of the kitchen and into your room. 

“All the things I want to do with you,” Issei trailed off, dropping you on the edge of the bed. You scooted back to lean against the headboard, moaning as Issei followed with his lips marking up your neck. 

Your fingers weaved through Issei’s hair, your mouth open and your head was thrown back as he relentlessly nibbled on your neck and shoulders while his hands wandered to untie your apron. 

The fried rice you had made sat in the kitchen, long forgotten and cold by the time your parents came home. They didn’t question why the fried rice was abandoned, but when they peered down the hall and straight into your open bedroom, they rushed into their own room, desperate to erase the image of their precious daughter caged under Issei, moaning in ecstasy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! Upcoming are Makki, Semi, and Sakusa, but we'll see when I can get around to writing this time! I have my second round of midterms coming, so please bear with me! As always, comments and kudos are much loved!


	21. Hanamaki Takahiro

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 26 and in-between jobs, you let Makki crash in your tiny studio apartment for a couple of days. Days turned into months and you have to face the music: Living with Makki has become more comfortable than you would like to admit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Holy shit, thank you so much for 600+ kudos! As always, requests are open but here's a glimpse into the upcoming characters: Semi, Sakusa, Tanaka, Kinoshita, Lev, and Takeda. At the current rate, I'm releasing about 2 chapters per week because of school, so please bear with me!

Somedays, you wondered why on earth you had allowed Makki to move into your studio apartment six months ago. Today was one of those days. 

After twelve gruesome hours at work plus an hour commute thanks to the subway tracks undergoing construction, you were stuck outside of your apartment, all because Makki was hooking up with some girl he met at the bar. 

It was already 9:30 PM and you had been standing outside your apartment door for the last thirty minutes in 3-inch high heels. How on earth had he managed to go to the bar and pick up a girl within 15 minutes of his arrival, you wondered while glaring at your door, which seemed to be taunting you. 

Exhausted of standing, you quit staring at the door and trekked down six flights of stairs to the playground across the street, settling on the swings for some much-needed rest. You kicked off your heels and dangled your legs, your toes kicking up mulch and dirt, not that you cared much anyway.

Six months ago, your best friend Issei had called you on behalf of Makki, cautiously asking if Makki could crash at your place for a couple of days while he went job hunting in Tokyo. You knew Makki, of course, through Issei, but had lost touch with him after graduating from Aoba Johsai. You said yes and somehow, a few days had turned to six months. 

That wasn’t to say that while you were incredibly irritated with him at the moment, Makki hadn’t proved his usefulness as your housemate. 

The day after he moved in, you were jolted awake and terrified at the sound of fists banging against your door. A particularly pervy neighbor had seen you stumble in after a work party drunk and was persistent in his pursuit. Makki opened the door and asserted himself as your boyfriend, threatening the neighbor with the police if he didn’t leave you alone. 

Two months ago, when you caught your ex-boyfriend hooking up with your coworker in a supply closet at work, Makki whisked you home and supplied you with plenty of wine, cheese, and breakup songs, cursing your ex-boyfriend out and claiming all the random items your ex had left behind as his, including an expensive gaming system. 

A month ago, an intern spilled coffee all over you and Makki ran all the way to your office with a new set of clothes and your favorite salad from the restaurant across the street. 

Three weeks ago, you broke the heel of your shoe and Makki met you at the subway station and carried you home on his back, draping his high school volleyball jacket around your waist to protect your modesty. 

A week ago, the pipe under your sink was inexplicably clogged and Makki replaced it and mopped up the mess while you were at work. 

And every time you were too drunk to make it home by yourself, Makki appeared and escorted you home after your work parties. 

And as of three nights ago, on the night of your most recent work party, you came to the shocking realization that you were in love with him while drunk in the dark corner of a karaoke bar. It didn’t help that you were sharing a bed for the last six months but to know that he was currently having sex with someone else in your bed was nagging you endlessly. 

It was nearly 10 PM now and you had passed the time reviewing various drafts of manuscripts of project proposals you had received working as the head of merchandise development at Kenma’s company. You hadn’t received the all-clear text, so you resorted to watching a TV show on your tablet. 

The annoyance was bubbling up in you and you were ready to barge into your apartment, no matter how scarred your eyes would be. In the last six months, you had only sexiled Makki six times, while Makki was at a whopping twenty times. Most times, he managed to schedule his trysts while you were at work or out with your friends but the last three hookups were wrongfully timed. 

_All clear!_ Immediately, you stuffed your tablet into your purse and slipped on your heels, wincing at an open wound that had formed while you had climbed down the stairs from your apartment earlier. The elevator was broken and you were forced to climb six flights back up. 

Between the third and fourth floors, you encountered Makki’s most recent hookup. You greeted her with a polite “Hello” as you passed by. She was pretty and exactly Makki’s type, demure and doe-eyed. 

You shoved the stubborn door and stumbled in as the door swung open, clinging onto the doorknob for dear life as your ankles gave out. You faceplanted onto the linoleum floor of the entryway, grumbling as you kicked off your heels for good. 

Turning onto your back, you yelped to see Makki leaning over to peer at you. “Good evening,” he smirked, offering out his hands to drag you into your modest apartment. Upon entering, there was a small kitchen to the right and a shoe closet on the left wall. Your bed was against the opposite wall of the door and a desk on the far right corner. There was a TV mounted on the right wall, perfectly positioned so that you could lean against the wall while sitting on your bed to watch. The bathroom was just past where the TV was mounted, close to the kitchen. 

“Bastard,” you kicked your leg up to swing at Makki, who dodged with a split second to spare. “I had to work after hours and you forced me to sit outside for an extra hour,” you snarled. You didn’t bother to give him an opportunity to argue, shutting yourself in the bathroom for a long shower in retaliation. 

The hot water washed over you, soothing your muscles. You took your sweet time washing every inch of your body as if you could scrub away your stress. You were halfway through conditioning your hair when the door burst open and you should see Makki strutting in through the shower curtain. 

Makki settled against the door, sliding down onto the floor. “Sorry,” he offered nonchalantly. You didn't bother to grace him with an answer. He took your silence as a cue to provide a feeble explanation for his evening indulgence. “The interview went like shit and I just wanted a girl in bed.” 

You jerked the shower curtain half-open and stuck your head out to glare at him. “Fuck you,” you spat, sticking up your middle finger at him. “Go and change the sheets.” 

With an annoyed sigh, Makki left you alone for the rest of the shower. When you stepped out ten minutes later, the washing machine was running and Makki was reclined against the headboard, his head turned in your direction but fixated on the TV show. 

You dried your hair while sitting against your bed on the floor, just to annoy Makki and to interrupt whatever game show he was watching. When you finished, you slipped on a silk nightie and crawled over Makki to lie down. 

As soon as your head hit the pillow, Makki lied down next to you, facing your back. His arms snaked around your waist in an attempt to pull you into his chest, but your foot kicked out to block him. 

“I’m sorry,” Makki mumbled into your shoulder, placing soft kisses on your collarbone. You squeezed your eyes shut and concentrated on ignoring his hands roaming over your body, one hand lazily circling around your navel and the other sliding up and down the curve of your waist. 

When you didn’t respond to his charm and touches, Makki grew impatient, using his considerable strength to turn you and cuddle you. Your cheek was flattened against his chest but your arms were stiff by your sides. 

You knew exactly why you were mad more today than any other day but were in complete denial. It was the first hookup that Makki had after you came to terms that you loved him.

His lips were relentless, covering every inch of your neck and shoulder with kisses. “Please,” your voice was hoarse. “Please just let me sleep,” you begged and Makki retreated. His arms were still around your waist but the kisses stopped. 

Makki turned onto his back, taking you with him so that now, you were practically on top of him, your head still against his chest. You glanced up at him, his eyes focused on the TV once again. 

You couldn’t sleep in this position. Although you had been sleeping beside Makki for six months, the last few nights had been restless for you. The studio apartment left no room for a couch and you felt guilty sleeping on a queen-sized bed while he would be relegated to the floor. You insisted upon him sleeping with you and had grown comfortable with his presence in bed. 

After some time, you were still awake when Makki shut off the TV and settled into the mattress. He gingerly moved an inch, clutching you so that you wouldn’t wake up. You were still awake of course, but your eyes were shut tight. 

His hand was petting your head as he tried to lull himself to sleep. Makki let out a resigned sigh and mumbled, “At the end of the day, I like having you in my arms.” You were already frozen but your brain suddenly stopped thinking. Now you _really_ couldn’t sleep. 

That was a lie. You were so exhausted, three seconds later you knocked out from Makki’s rhythmic head pats. 

When the shrill sound of your alarm woke you up the next morning, you groaned and rolled off of Makki and onto the floor with a dull thud. Cursing, you hobbled to the bathroom, the draft from your windows escorting a bone-chilling breeze into your apartment. 

Sleeping like the dead, Makki didn’t stir once during your hour-long morning routine as you cooked breakfast and got dressed. You shoveled a plate of scrambled eggs and avocado toast into your mouth while scrolling through your phone, glancing occasionally at Makki’s spread out form across the room. You snapped a picture to laugh at later, clearly capturing his wide-open mouth. 

The workday crawled by but the entire office was buzzing with anticipation to celebrate a new game launch. Kenma would be live-streaming and bringing in extra revenue before the quarter ended, so your department had planned a work party to get absolutely wasted. You had worked hard to promote Kenma through developing his merchandise and felt that tonight was well-deserved. 

You managed to cut yourself off after five drinks to ensure that you wouldn’t have to rely on Makki to make it home. You struggled to find your keys in your purse but after a few minutes, you found it tucked into your wallet for some reason. With a shove, you burst into your apartment and your eyes zeroed in your bed.

“Oh for fuck’s sake,” you cried, immediately drawing attention to yourself from Makki and a new lover, tangled together. 

“Hey, wait!” Makki called out for you but you were already gone and the door sealed shut behind you. You called a taxi and journeyed back to the office, deciding to pass out on the couch in the staff lounge for the night. 

There hadn’t been a warning text from Makki on your phone. You sobbed for hours, curled up on the couch in the endless darkness of the office. 

Thank goodness you kept a spare change of clothes at the office in case of emergencies. You nabbed your toothbrush and toothpaste from your desk drawer and changed to give the impression that you had gone home for the night. You ignored the fifteen texts on your phone from Makki. 

Your phone rang and you had every intention to ignore it but something compelled you to check the screen. It was Issei. 

“Hello?” You croaked. 

“Where did you sleep last night?” Issei was alarmed and you could feel the guilt through the phone. 

You placed the phone down on the bathroom counter and put Issei on speakerphone. “I crashed on the couch in the staff lounge at the office. I’m crashing at Kenma’s tonight, hopefully.” You brushed your fingers through your hair and massaged dry shampoo into your scalp. “Don’t worry about Makki, I’m not kicking him out,” you bitterly said. 

“He really wants to apologize,” Issei begged, “Can you answer him?” 

You slammed the can of dry shampoo down onto the counter. “How pathetic am I, Issei? I like the bastard who keeps fucking random women in my own bed and I don’t have the guts to kick him out of my own apartment,” you admitted, exasperated. 

Your confession had astounded Issei who had choked on his morning cup of coffee. “Oh” was all he could muster up in response. 

“I have to clock in, I’ll talk to you later,” you lied, dropping the call. Out of curiosity, you decided to venture into your messages to see what sort of excuses Makki had made overnight. 

_I’m so sorry, holy shit_

_I fucked up I’m so fucking sorry_

_I felt like shit and I just wanted to have someone last night_

You stopped reading after the first three messages. You tried so hard not to cry again since your eyes were already puffy and dry but the tears battled their way out from your eyes and down onto your cheeks. 

As soon as Kenma came in for work, you invaded his office. You requested a day off and permission to stay at his place for several days, which he gladly agreed to. He had multiple guest rooms and didn’t mind, nor did he push on why you needed to suddenly vacate from your own apartment. 

While on the bus to Kenma’s place, you texted Issei. 

_The least you can do for me is to grab some of my stuff. I need work-appropriate clothes, pajamas, and underwear. I have a duffel bag in my closet that you can use. Text me when you get to Kenma’s place._

His response was immediate. He agreed. 

You indulged yourself in the hot tub that Kenma had in one of the four bathrooms, lighting several candles as if aromatherapy could assist your turbulent emotions. Afterward, you spent the day watching Disney movies in Kenma’s home theater until stomach cramps attacked you. 

“Fuck,” you mumbled as you ran to the nearest bathroom. You grabbed your phone and instructed Issei to pack plenty of pads as well and that they would be stored under your bathroom sink. 

Kenma returned home around 6 PM and brought home Chinese food, sharing a quiet meal with you at his kitchen island. Issei texted you around 7 to announce his arrival. 

Kenma offered to go downstairs for you and you agreed, your cramps immobilizing you. When he returned, he had your duffel bag and an unrecognizable shopping bag slung over his shoulder. You retreated into your room and separated from Kenma, who was scheduled to livestream some gameplay tonight of the new release. 

The duffel bag was full of everything you had requested from Issei. You dumped the contents of the shopping bag onto the bed and whimpered. 

Your heat pack that you relied on for your cramps, along with a bag of your favorite chocolates, two bags of Flamin’ Hot Cheetos, three pairs of fuzzy socks, and one of Makki’s sweatshirts tumbled out of the bag. Between the folds of his sweatshirt was a note. 

_I’m sorry I hurt you in more ways than I could imagine. Last night was hell without you in my arms and I don’t want to spend another night without you. I know you need time and space but just know whenever you’re ready, I’ll be home, waiting for you._

That night, you slept in Makki’s sweatshirt and a pair of your fuzzy socks, clutching your heat pack against your stomach. 

You spent a total of five days at Kenma’s place to collect your thoughts without any disruptions from Makki or Issei. Work occupied your mind with needing to review a dozen new merchandise proposals for the holiday collection. 

You purposely didn’t announce to Makki that you would be coming home that day, not wanting to tip him off. It was a test of sorts, to determine whether or not Makki was true to his word. The jingle of your keys was the only warning Makki had before you entered your apartment for the first time in days. 

To your surprise, Makki wasn’t home. You reserved any judgment for later, praying that he hadn’t scampered off to hook up with another girl. You settled into the shower, relieved at the familiarity of your own quaint bathroom. 

When you stepped out, Makki was sitting on the bed with a bouquet of flowers in his hand. “Hi,” he breathed out and you held up a hand in a weak wave. Silently, you got dressed and dried your hair, keeping Makki waiting still on the bed. 

You stood in front of Makki with your arms crossed, expressionless. He reached out to pull you onto his lap and you followed, your limbs turning to jelly from a single touch. He leaned in for a kiss on your cheek but you turned away and leaned back to evade him. 

“Am I on probation or something?” Makki joked and you nodded. 

“Explain yourself and I’ll cast judgment,” you announced, staring deep into Makki’s eyes. 

You desperately hoped that he would address the note. He didn’t disappoint you. “I meant what I wrote. Everything. You were right next to me all this time and I was vapidly living day to day, only addressing all my physical needs but ignoring my emotions. Pathetic, right?” Makki laughed bitterly. “I don’t expect you to forgive me here and now, nor do I want you to. All I ask is that for now, you keep me in mind and don’t go looking for others.” 

“Okay,” you whispered, rising from his lap to place the flowers in a vase. You lingered in the kitchen to contemplate what to make for dinner and Makki snuck up from behind with that endless charm of his, wrapping his arms around your waist. 

He followed you around the kitchen like a lost puppy as you whipped up dinner. 

You lasted a week repelling Makki. Although the air between you was no longer icy, you kept Makki at a distance, hesitant to open up your heart and become vulnerable once again. 

In the last ten minutes of work, you texted Makki, _You. Me. Dinner date in two hours._

_Hell yes_ was Makki’s response. 

Makki was extra touchy as you got dressed, hovering around you in his button-up shirt and navy pants. Honey was dripping from his eyes as he tracked your movements around the small apartment. 

“Quit devouring me with your eyes,” you scolded but laughter escaped from your throat. You turned to look at him from across the room, dropping your makeup brush into the sink. “We’re doing it all wrong, you know,” you mused.

“What?” Makki manifested in front of you, his hands planted on your waist. 

“We slept together and moved in before our first date,” you explained. 

Makki’s low laugh tugged a smile on your lips. “Does it matter?” 

“Not as long as you love me.” 

Makki kissed your cheek. “That I do,” he confessed with absolute conviction.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, this one was a little longer than all the other ones haha! If you stuck by till the end, thank you! Comments and kudos are much appreciated :)


	22. Semi Eita

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to draft number 128394350 aka the final draft. I apologize for this being released so late, I kept losing track of the plot every time I opened the document. I hope you enjoy!

You spent most nights not in your own apartment, but at the dive bar five blocks away. The loneliness of your apartment haunted you ever since you had graduated from university and your roommate moved out. Paradise, however, was different. The bar’s exterior and interiors were stripped down to the basic necessities, often with paint peeling down the walls and countless layers of posters and flyers plastered on the walls. 

Paradise provided you with the social interactions during the otherwise solitary nights of your life, with you occasionally whisking away men back to your apartment to keep your bed warm for one night. 

The owner had offered you a part-time job as a bartender, which you gladly attended, and not only did you befriend other regular patrons, but you managed to develop a small crush on the lead guitarist of one of the bands that frequented Paradise.

“Your usual?” You asked Semi, already grabbing the bottle of bourbon and behind you and grabbing an old fashioned glass for his bourbon old fashioned cocktail. 

“Of course,” Semi smiled, leaning over the bar with his head resting on his elbow to look at you. “I didn’t see you here yesterday,” Semi recalled. He was just as much of a regular as you were, visiting the bar nearly every night of the week to play darts and hang out with some of his colleagues. 

You slid the completed drink to him and leaned against the counter opposite of the bar. “I had a deadline to meet for my article, so I spent the night working on it.” 

Being a freelance journalist suited your lifestyle, allowing you to actually use your journalism degree while not stealing too much of your time. In your spare time, you made a considerably larger amount of money from publishing children’s books in anonymity. 

Semi took a sip of his drink and nodded in approval. “Hm, what were you working on?”

“Your job, actually,” you laughed, “I wrote about your working hours and how government employees, especially lower level and new recruits, are exploited.” 

Being a musician was certainly not Semi’s primary profession. He was actually an employee of the municipal government, one of countless workers bees doing who knows what for eight hours a day. Semi and you only knew each other within the context of Paradise, never passing one another anywhere outside of these four walls. 

“Thanks for recognizing my suffering.” Semi feigned gratitude and winked, making you laugh like he always did with his banter and stories. “Honestly, they’re forcing me to go to the office Halloween party tomorrow! I don’t even get paid and I’d rather get drunk here,” Semi complained, downing the remainder of his cocktail. 

“Oh goodness,” you looked horrified at the thought of an office party. “I got Halloween off,” you smirked, “I cannot wait to party.” 

Semi stuck his tongue out and snorted. “Well, I’ll come by after my office party anyways.” 

“I’ll keep you to that,” you winked. 

The stage lights flashed and Semi recognized his cue to go onstage to warm up with his band, leaving you free to serve the other customers slowly filtering in as the night wore on. 

Bartending to Semi’s band was fantastic because rarely did people order drinks during his sets. They were too busy screaming along to his songs or dancing on the floor, allowing you to take a break every so often. It also gave you plenty of time to admire Semi, stoking that fiery crush within you. 

Semi and you had selected Paradise as your location for vices around the same time nearly four years ago. The two of you had stumbled in on a stormy Valentine’s Day four years ago, swearing off relationships together and drunkenly playing games of darts until closing time. Both of you were recent graduates and recently employed in the city. Both of you had been broken up with significant others of at least two years. Both of you were living alone and terrified of becoming actual, functioning adults for the first time.

Everything on the surface would have seemed perfect for the two of you to jump into a relationship with one another-- you two almost did that night you met. It was evident between the copious amounts of flirting and not-so-innocent touches that the two of you were attracted to each other, yet neither took the plunge. 

The destructive aftermath of previous relationships made you more hesitant than ever to just whisk Semi home and hook up with him. Since then, the two of you occasionally retired from Paradise with a one-night stand, but neither had successfully been in a long-term relationship for the last four years.

The mutual attraction still remained to this day and even now, as you stared up at him on stage, you were hit with a tinge of regret for harboring your feelings for so long. 

It was a true pleasure to see Semi perform. His ash-blond hair caught the rays of multicolored stage lights from above, giving off an ethereal glow to him. His delicate fingers as they danced and tugged on guitar strings captivated you and your eyes trained on him whenever you weren’t whipping up cocktails for the patrons. 

Some guy you had already poured four pints of beer for caught you smiling up at Semi and tapped your arm to get your attention. You shrank away from his touch but remembered that you were at work and retained your composure. 

“Can I help you?” Your faux-saccharine sweet voice sang. The man just leaned back and smirked, wiggling his finger in disapproval. 

“Men like that don’t like women like you. You’re just a bartender.” You wanted to punch that smirk right off of his face if it wasn’t for work, but you simply pretended to tend to another customer at the far end of the bar to avoid actually hurting this man. 

He kept hollering obscenities at you, degrading your job, and messily shouting about how Semi was way out of your league. “I’m right here, baby,” he belligerently called out, “Let me show you a good time!” 

You gritted your teeth and tried your damn best to ignore him. Instead, you worried about later, when he could potentially wait for you to close before forcing himself upon you when you were alone. All you could do was supply him with beer and occasionally answer with curt no thank yous. 

Semi’s set had ended and he had disappeared to pack up his instruments with his three bandmates and the typical electronic pop music pumped through the club. Bodies meshed together on the dance floor and you were never more grateful to be enjoying the music behind the bar. 

Drinks flowed from the taps and bottles and ten minutes later, Semi and his band appeared at the bar, leaning over eagerly to motion to you. You were working alone but most of the drinks had been simple to make and all the tips would be yours for the night. 

“Your best performances yet,” you complimented them, even though you said this each night you saw them perform. “The usual?” All four nodded. 

Like you, the entire band enjoyed whisky and you poured out four glasses for the energized band. 

“Hey, baby!” The nuisance of a man called out to you and you rolled your eyes before walking down the bar to service him. 

“More beer?” You offered and he shook his head. 

Grabbing your arm and tugging you towards him, he breathily whispered into your ear, “Give me your number, baby. Why are you playing so hard to get?” The alcohol on his breath was disgusting and the telltale signs of tobacco lingering on his clothes didn’t help him either. 

You wrenched yourself away and snatched the empty pint glass from him. “I’m cutting you off for the night and closing your tab. Leave,” you demanded, leaving no room to argue by walking back towards the band, who had seen the whole situation unfold. 

“Has he been pestering you the entire night?” Semi glanced at the man hunched over the bar, way too drunk to conduct himself at all. 

You sighed and nodded. “The bastard has been hounding after me all night but I’m cutting him off.” 

Semi frowned but didn’t say anything further. After downing their drinks, the boys stumbled onto the dance floor, blending into the crowd. 

You made a significant sum from tips that night and as you closed up, you were content with the customers, even the slimy bastard, who had left you a generous tip. You didn’t see Semi leave but the bouncer at the door helped you sweep through the club and the bathrooms to check for any stragglers. 

Painstakingly, you weighed out the bottles of liquor to take inventory for tomorrow and flicked off the lights. You slipped into the back room to grab your purse and heard the bouncer announce that he was leaving for the night. 

“Good night! Thanks for your work!” You pulled a thick coat over you, bracing yourself for the chilly winds on your short walk home. It was nearly four in the morning. 

You left through the back door and emerged into an alleyway. The backdoor locked automatically and you stretched, looking up at the sky. You were bending your back to touch your toes when someone pinned you to the wall. 

It was the sleazy man. He breathed down your neck and his hands were hungrily exploring your body over the thick winter jacket. 

“Ah, thank you for touching me,” you moaned. Grinning evilly, you announced, “Now I have an excuse to do this.” You connected a solid punch to his gut and slammed your foot up into his groin, effectively forcing him to keel over. 

“You fucking bitch!” He hollered, clutching his stomach with his arms. He was actually crying and you laughed before walking out of the alley and onto the main street. 

You had walked half the block and glanced over your shoulder to check if the creep was following you. Instead, you saw a drunk Semi staring down the alleyway, pointing and laughing. 

On the dimly lit street, he spotted you staring at him and he waved excitedly as he ran towards you. He crushed you into a hug and lifted you, almost swinging you around if you hadn’t wrapped your legs around his waist for stability. 

“Babe, you’re incredible.” He nuzzled your neck and placed soft butterfly kisses on your jawline. He was obviously drunk yet extremely stable on his feet. 

“Semi, let me down,” you protested but his grip on your waist tightened. 

“I should’ve taken you home all those years ago,” he admitted quietly and you pulled away to look at his face. They did say alcohol lowers your inhibitions... yet knowing that you were sober and he was drunk, you didn’t want to ever take advantage of Semi. 

“If you remember this conversation when you wake up in the morning, we can talk about that then,” you mumbled, persistently tapping your hand against his chest to drop you. He finally did and you noticed how cold his skin was, with only a black T-shirt on. 

Semi lived a few blocks down from Paradise in the opposite direction as you and you were more concerned about his body temperature than yours. You shrugged off your jacket and pulled it tightly over his shoulders, zipping it up for him as if he was a child. “Text me when you get home, okay?” You patted his head and guided him to turn around towards his house. With a final pat on his shoulder, Semi stumbled slightly forward then regained his balance. 

For a second, you considered walking him home, worrying about his drunken state. He had about three drinks but clearly was drunker than you had seen him before. 

“Semi, let me take you home.” You jogged to catch up to him and matched your pace to his. 

His fingers brushed against yours and he eagerly grabbed onto you, flashing a proud smile. “Not only can these hands play guitar but they can set volleyballs too,” he reminisced. You had heard it all before but indulged him as Semi recalled his days as a volleyball player for a powerhouse school. “I had one of the top three youth players in Japan on my team,” he bragged, “His name is Ushijima Wakatoshi and now, he plays for the Schweiden Adlers.” 

Semi continued about his volleyball career, lamenting occasionally at how he wasn’t able to spend more time on the court during his third-year. Just as he was about to repeat himself all over again from the beginning, Semi stopped in front of a small apartment building. 

“Come in?” 

You shook your head. “Not tonight. Wrong time,” you smiled sadly, betting yourself that he wouldn’t remember anything when he woke up as he often did. 

Downcast, Semi waved and disappeared into the building, still wearing your jacket. 

You were absolutely freezing and it was nearly five when you returned to your apartment. Double checking that you locked your door, you tossed your keys onto the small kitchen island and crashed down onto the couch. Curling up with the blanket draped over the couch, you turned on the TV and allowed it to hypnotize you into sleep. 

It was noon when you woke up on the floor by the couch. You must’ve fallen sometime in the morning, only to never have woken up from the exhaustion. On autopilot, you showered and changed into a comfortable sweater and sweatpants before returning to the couch with your laptop. 

Out of habit, you checked your phone, only to find it dead. You fished for the charger under the coffee table and plugged it in, ignoring the bombardment of notifications. Instead, you focused on answering emails from your publisher and the news company, glad that you worked from home. 

With a neatly organized inbox, you drifted into the kitchen to reheat some leftovers from the day prior. A slice of cheese pizza in hand, you finally scrolled through your phone. 

There were twenty-six messages waiting for you, all from Semi. Startled, you choked on a bite of pizza and frantically gulped down water. 

4:43 AM: _I love you_

4:43 AM _Oh shit is it too early for me to say that??!?!_

4.44 AM _Whatever who cares! I love you~_

Most of the text messages had been sent before he fell asleep and had the common theme of confessing his love for you. The more interesting set of text messages were from this morning, most likely sent on his morning commute to work. 

7:51 AM _I meant what I said last night, I should’ve pursued you when I had the chance._

7:51 AM _Thank you for taking me home, I really had fun last night but clearly too much to drink_

7:52 AM _I don’t regret anything I said though._

7:52 AM _Actually, I lied._

7:52 AM _Forget about my volleyball talk omg I was so cringy I’m so sorry!_

7:52 AM _Wanna come to my office Halloween party? I’m dressing up as Peter Parker if you want to come as Mary Jane._

7:52 AM _No pressure though!_

7:52 AM _Can I call you at lunch? I want to hear your voice when I’m sober._

Anyone could read you like a book when you couldn’t suppress emotions at all. The foolish grin on your face said it all. It was hours later but you thought it was important to respond, not wanting to ghost him. 

_I might have slept through your lunch, but feel free to call me. I have some work to do tonight but I can see you after the party if that works for you. Looks like we have a lot to talk about._

His response was immediate and the phone in your hand vibrated, flashing an old photo of Semi in his Shiratorizawa volleyball uniform that you had managed to steal off of his phone when you won a game of darts. 

“Hello?” 

“Hi, Semi.” Your heart was racing and your half-eaten slice of cheese pizza was abandoned on the kitchen island on top of a napkin. “Are you hungover?” 

“Not at all. I’m having a sober night tonight though,” he announced. “I want to talk to you tonight and it seems like a sober conversation rather than a drunken one.” 

Your stomach twisted itself into knots at his words. “Yeah,” you breathed. “I’ll text you my address and you can come around whenever, I’ll just be sketching out some illustrations for my next book.” 

“Okay.” He hesitated before adding, “I can’t wait to see you later.” 

You were absolutely smitten. “Me neither.” 

The hours of the day disappeared while you were drawing sketches of various animal characters, determining whether or not they aligned with your initial vision. You nursed your third cup of coffee and had a random playlist for background music while you crumpled up your fifth piece of paper and tossed it into the trash. 

A bold knock at your door stopped you from picking up your pen again. Peering through the peephole, you saw Semi looking around nervously, holding a bouquet of flowers in his hands. 

You swung the door open and stepped back, letting him in, He held out the bouquet for you and greeted you. “The party was a drag.” He roamed to your living room and sat on the couch, leaning back comfortably. 

You placed the flowers into a vase of water before joining him. 

Simultaneously the two of you started speaking and broke off laughing. “You first,” you conceded. 

“I wish I had taken you home the night we met but I was still hung up on my ex and it seemed as if you were too. Then, it felt like too much time had passed for me to act and I just stood back and watched as we both pursued others. Something in my head finally clicked last night and I wondered, why wasn’t I dating you right now? I thought you were too good for me and thought you deserved better.” The silence that filled the room wasn’t uncomfortable at all. Instead, you reached out to hold Semi’s hand. 

“You know those cliché stories of ‘wrong place, wrong time’?” Semi nodded. “I think it was us. I think we needed to heal from the breakups that brought us together because I think if we started dating four years ago, we wouldn’t be friends today.” 

Semi’s eyes looked deeply into yours as he searched for the right words. Exasperated he settled with, “Can I kiss you now? I’ve waited for four years.” 

Laughing, you leaned forward and whispered, “Of course.” 

The kiss wasn’t hot and heavy and the two of you weren’t jumping on each other to rip your clothes off. Instead, he caressed your cheek after he pulled you onto his lap, your knees at his sides and your hands tangled in his hair. Those skilled fingers of his explored your body tentatively, stopping every so often for your consent. 

He slipped his tongue past your lips and you locked your fingers at the nape of his neck, your nails dragging across his shoulder blades. Every time he moved, you moved. You stole every breath of his and he stole yours right back, your bodies accommodating each other as you navigated this new relationship together. 

Semi didn’t tell you that night but he caught himself staring at you from the stage on the last night you spent as friends. He couldn’t pull himself away from the warmth of your smile as you chatted with customers and twirled around behind the bar, creating drinks in a frenzy. As he sang, he slipped away for a moment into his own head, imagining you and him dancing and laughing in Paradise. 

He told you years later, on your wedding day that this was the moment he knew he needed to tell you he loved you because he was afraid to see you fall in love with anyone else. He joked that just as competitive as he was with volleyball, he would never lose you. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading! As always, comments and kudos are appreciated! Here's the upcoming characters: Sakusa, Tanaka, Kinoshita, Lev, Takeda, Goshiki, and Koganegawa! I'm hoping to get Sakusa and Tanaka written and published this weekend, barring any complications from my schoolwork :)


	23. Sakusa Kiyoomi

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As the physical therapist for the MSBY Black Jackals, you were close to all the players. Well... all except one, who refuses to hug you and doesn't bother to utter more than a phrase.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Clingy sakusa overrode my brain and birthed this monstrosity of a chapter. Happy Halloween and enjoy!

As the physical therapist for the MSBY Black Jackals, you spent most of your time watching over the player like a hawk, during practice and games on the court and during their conditioning and training off the court. It was like being a full-time mom, especially with the troublesome foursome that consisted of Bokuto, Hinata, Atsumu, and Sakusa. With their consistent, personal competitions to outperform one another, it was inevitable that they would be the players injured most often.

The worst offenders were Bokuto and Hinata. Those two never failed to make you laugh but always earned a stern scolding afterward. Just yesterday, they attempted to run across the icy pond during an outdoor warmup run, nearly breaking both of their ankles and noses in the process. 

Today was no different. All the players were tasked with doing 500 jumps with a jump rope with no time constraint whatsoever, and yet, Bokuto, Hinata, and Atsumu had bet each other dinner on who could finish the fastest. 

You circled the gym as the repetitive thumps of the ropes smacking the gym floor soothed you, watching over all the players alongside the coach. 

“Ouch!” Hinata shouted, collapsing onto the floor with a thud. “Bokuto got too close and his rope whipped me!” 

Bokuto and Atsumu cackled while Sakusa looked on, looking rather annoyed and bored. You rushed to Hinata’s hunched form, kneeling to examine the angry red lash marks on his leg. The coach looked down at you expectantly and you shrugged. “It’s just a topical wound, no worries.” You inspected Hinata’s ankles just in case, rolling them and flexing them gently. “All clear,” you announced, standing up and helping Hinata up. 

“Spread apart,” the coach instructed and Bokuto giggled, shuffling a few inches away. With a stern glare, he shuffled a good foot away from Hinata, who stuck out his tongue. 

It was the last practice before the holidays and the entire team was buzzing, desperate to burst out of the gymnasium. The practice match ran smoothly and you observed with your arms crossed on the sidelines, not cheering for either particular side. 

With the coach’s final whistle, the players erupted into cheers and whoops, jumping and dashing around the gym. Bokuto tackled you into his signature bear hug, lifting you up by his arms and spinning you around. “Happy holidays!” He boomed, peppering your cheeks with kisses. 

When he finally put you down, Hinata and Atsumu followed, pulling you into tight, comforting hugs. “Happy holidays,” Atsumu murmured in your ear and you squeezed him, giving him a chaste kiss on the cheek. 

The remainder of the players, except for Sakusa, gave you some sort of physical affection as they skipped out of the gym. Head pats, hugs, pinches of your cheeks, and cheek kisses were standard from the majority of the players, who respected you but also thought of you as their little sister. 

When a particularly rude ex-boyfriend refused to return your things from the apartment you had shared for a month, half of the team had shown up to his door with cardboard boxes in their arms, shoving their way past your stuttering ex to collect your belongings for you. Bokuto, Hinata, and Atsumu had gratefully let you crash in their homes for several weeks until you were finally able to move into your own apartment. 

Your most strained relationship was with Sakusa out of all the players. He didn’t seem to have the same natural liking towards you and was curt with you during the limited interactions you had. At one point, you just stopped trying so hard with him, simply waving at him or flashing a smile at him from a great distance. 

The last player remaining was Sakusa, he had looped his mask through his ears in the far corner of the gym. Not wanting to abandon him, you called out, “Happy holidays, Omi!” He stared at you and blinked. The awkwardness was too much for you, so you smiled nervously and exited the gym towards the staff offices around the corner from the locker rooms. 

Shrieks and chattering filled your ear as you passed the locker room. You couldn’t help but laugh at the rowdy bunch of men who still retained so much of their youthful playfulness. 

You were sitting at your desk, updating players’ health information when a sharp knock at your door raised your head. “Come in!” You quickly closed any tabs with sensitive information and turned off your computer monitor. 

The entire team flooded into your tiny office, grinning widely and snickering, hiding their hands behind their backs. They were most certainly up to something. 

“Can I help you, boys?” You looked up at them, eyes scanning all of their faces in order to target who you could break first. 

“One... two... three!” At Atsumu’s count, all the boys’ hands jutted out from behind, holding small boxes, some haphazardly wrapped and others with impeccable wrapping paper, most likely done by a professional at the shopping mall. 

You looked at the boys adoringly and whimpered, standing up from behind your desk and throwing your arms around as many of them as you could. The rest huddled around you, chiming “Happy holidays!” and “Thank you!” 

“We all wanted to get you something to fill up space under your tree! We know you don’t have any family nearby, so we wanted to create that holiday spirit for you!” Hinata beamed and you hugged him, thanking all of them once again. 

It was true. Ever since you became the physical therapist for the Black Jackals, you didn’t have the time to go home for the holidays, since you had to be on-call just in case any players were involved in an unfortunate accident. It was worse since you were freshly single with few friends outside of the coaching staff. 

“Thank you, all of you,” you gushed, blushing at their grand gesture. “I’ll drop by your houses with some fresh batch of cookies tomorrow morning,” you promised and they eagerly nodded before waving goodbye. 

At home, you decorated around the base of your Christmas tree with the presents and you took a luxurious bath before marching to the kitchen, more determined than ever. 

Your cookies were legendary to the entirety of the Black Jackals team and staff. Your recipe wasn’t a secret but everyone insisted that they couldn’t replicate them as you made, complaining that you were withholding a secret ingredient or that the recipe was too difficult. 

With a glass of Chardonnay by your side, you mechanically baked your famous chocolate chip cookies throughout the night, packaging them in clear plastic bags with red and green ribbons to tie them closed. 

Most nervous about showing up at Sakusa’s house, you saved him for last, unsure of how to interact with him naturally. All the other boys had been so kind and receptive, inviting you in for warm ciders or a glass of wine. 

Not wanting to show up completely unannounced, you texted Sakusa for the first time, informing that you would arrive in ten minutes.

You braved the bitter cold, huddled up in a thick coat, a scarf, and a beanie, suppressing a runny nose with intermittent sniffles. Your nose was practically Rudolph’s, bright red and without any sensation from the nipping wind. 

Hesitantly, you knocked on Sakusa’s door, praying that the exchange would be quick. No response. You knocked again, glancing at your phone for a reply from Sakusa, but none could be found. 

You contemplated whether to leave the cookies by his door or stay but the choice was made for you when the locks of the door clicked and the door slowly swung open. 

Your heart melted. Sakusa had a soft, thick blanket draped over his shoulders and was dressed in layers from head to toe, with fuzzy Christmas socks in the holiday spirit. 

“Hello,” he croaked before a cough escaped his mouth. He quickly clapped his hand over his mouth and mumbled an apology. “Come in.” He shuffled aside and you cautiously entered, never having seen his apartment before. 

“I brought you cookies,” you held out the bag and he quietly took them, resting them on his kitchen island. 

The interior of his home was exactly as you imagined: Modern, minimalist, and mostly white and black. The walls were barren and only a few pieces of furniture were scattered around the living room. The TV was flickering in the background, unattended to. 

“Omi, are you sick?” You stepped forward to place a cool hand on his forehead to measure his temperature. It was way too hot. “Have you taken any medicine?” 

Sakusa shook his head, collapsing on the couch and keeling over to rest on his side. 

“Let me take care of you?” You asked, not wanting to intrude if all he wanted to be was alone. If he wanted to suffer by himself, you weren’t going to impose. 

Sakusa nodded, curling up and adjusting the blanket around him to cover his limbs. With his approval, you shredded layers of clothing and neatly folded them over a chair by the kitchen island. 

The first thing you did was boil some water for honey and lemon tea, then you set out to judge if there were any viable ingredients for some porridge in his refrigerator. 

As if you were in your own home, you fluttered through the kitchen, finding kitchen utensils from random drawers and cabinets to assist your cooking. You steeped the tea and gingerly carried it over to Sakusa, who had been watching you intently. 

“Have some, it’ll warm you up.” You set the cup on a coaster at the coffee table and checked his temperature again. Unsatisfied, you pilfered through his hallway closets and excavated an extra blanket to drape over him. Tucking in the edges of the blanket around him, you ensured that he was fully covered before returning to the porridge on the stove. 

You expertly diced mushrooms, carrots, beef, and chives, searing them in a pan quickly before adding them into the simmering rice porridge. Your eyes darted between the food and Sakusa, who was dozing off. Half of the blanket had slipped to the floor, so you bent down to retrieve it and tuck him in again. 

You turned to leave but his hand darted out and clutched your wrist. “Do you need something?” You quietly asked, turning around, still in his grasp. 

He looked so vulnerable and weak, his lips pale and his eyes barely open. You swept his sweat-damp hair out of his eyes, kneeling by his head to feel his forehead again with the back of your hand. 

The honey lemon tea was untouched, so you sat by his side and urged him to drink baby sips while the porridge simmered on the stovetop. 

Each time, you helped him up, reaching under his arms and clasping your hands around his torso to sit him up. You held the mug with both hands, gently tipping the edge of the cup to allow the warm tea to slip past his lips. 

You only left his side to serve him the porridge, feeding him because he didn’t have the energy to even lift his arms. 

Around 8 PM, four hours after you had arrived at Sakusa’s apartment, his temperature had finally dropped. His fever was breaking and now, he insisted on stripping off all his layers, which you desperately tried to stop. 

Struggling against his grip on the blanket, you begged, “Omi, please keep the blanket around you!” You stood between his legs to secure the blanket around over his shoulders, clutching it with your tiny hands in comparison to his. 

Supplied with another cup of tea that he drank on his own, Sakusa dozed off, allowing you to wash the dishes without worrying about him. 

Checking that he was still soundly asleep, you spent another hour and a half in the kitchen, whipping up various vegetable and meat dishes for him to heat up over the next couple of days while he recovered. Storing the food in various containers to stack in the fridge, you proudly looked at the stocked fridge, satisfied that he wouldn’t starve at least over the holidays. 

You checked your phone and saw several messages from Bokuto and Hinata, which you set aside for later. You rested on a stool at the kitchen island, not wanting to abandon Sakusa while he slept. 

Fretting as per usual, you consistently checked Sakusa’s temperature, opting to place a hot towel over his head ever since he started to shiver. You tucked the blankets around him once again and brushed his hair away from his eyes, your eyes lingering an extra second on his peaceful face. 

Sakusa slowly opened his eyes and he blinked slowly, gaining consciousness through the grogginess of heavy sleep. 

“Hi,” you whispered, knelt by his side and your head resting on the edge of the couch by his torso. “How are you feeling?” 

“Not good,” he softly whined, his fingers dancing on the couch. “Your hand,” he plainly requested, and you obliged, lacing your fingers with his. He was a furnace, radiating an overwhelming amount of heat. 

You stroked his face, trailing your fingers over his flushed cheeks and sharp chin, admiring how utterly gorgeous he looked, even when sick. It was rather annoying, to be honest, since this was the most intimate interaction you had with him in the past three years of working alongside him. 

Sakusa really wasn’t a man of physical affection like Bokuto or Hinata but perhaps being sick forced him to crave human connection, which you were glad to provide. 

“Can you stay the night, if you don’t mind?” 

The request was unexpected but you didn’t have the heart to decline. It wasn’t like you had anywhere else to be tonight or tomorrow. 

“Of course.” You placed a soft kiss on his forehead out of instinct, quickly shrinking back and apologizing immediately. “Sorry, my mom always...” you trailed off, not wanting to embarrass yourself any further. “Sorry,” you sighed, scooting an inch away from the couch. 

You attempted to divert his attention by explaining the prepared food in the fridge, reminding him that in order to recover, he needed to eat. He was sitting up now with more color to his face but still hunched over with weakened muscles. 

“I want to take a shower,” Sakusa announced, carefully rising from the couch. He was well enough to stand in the shower for forty minutes while you treated yourself to the leftover porridge, having forgotten to eat earlier in the night. 

It was nearly 11 PM when Sakusa emerged from the bathroom with nothing but a towel wrapped around his waist. Internally, you groaned, admiring his physique in a pained silence. He disappeared into his room again and you reluctantly returned your attention to your phone. You responded to Bokuto and Hinata, tentatively accepting their invite to their joint Christmas Eve party tomorrow evening. 

“Have another cup of tea,” you instructed Sakusa, motioning for him to sit down at the kitchen island when he peered out of his bedroom. 

“Feel free to shower. I have some spare clothes of mine that you can borrow.” Sakusa sipped on his tea, looking much more vibrant than prior to his shower. The steam must’ve cleared his sinuses or something, you thought. 

Eagerly accepting his offer, you retreated to the shower, shedding your clothes on the bathroom floor and soaking in the warmth of the steaming hot water for several minutes. He had some high-end, salon-quality products for his hair, which you indulged in, leaving your hair silkier than ever. You also siphoned off some of his body wash, using your hands to run over your body, dousing you in a fresh, floral scent. 

You left the bathroom in a similar manner to Sakusa, a towel wrapped around your chest, precariously tucking in a corner to secure it around you. Your hair was up in another towel, preventing you from flooding the floor. 

Sakusa’s eyes landed on you the second the door opened. The mug was covering most of his mouth, but even with the mug raised, you could see the telltale signs of a smile on his face. 

“The hamper is in the closet across from the bathroom.” You opened the closet to find a washing machine and dryer and chose to load up the laundry, knowing how Sakusa loved fresh, clean clothes. He hummed in approval, which you didn’t fail to notice. 

Sakusa guided you to his bedroom, where he opened up his closet to select suitable clothes for you. You settled in a sweatshirt and grey sweatpants, enjoying the comfort of drowning in fabric. 

All that was left was to decide the sleeping arrangement. You headed for the couch but Sakusa stopped you with a hand on your arm again. 

“Come to bed.” His words were like a siren call and you followed him, flicking off the lights on your way. You were genuinely surprised at how clingy Sakusa was being, but didn’t mind at all. With no significant other as of late, you were touch-starved, save the hugs and pats from the Black Jackals players. 

You crawled onto the mattress and laid stiffly on your back, trying not to breathe too fast or loud as to not disturb Sakusa. You rarely slept on your back but you didn’t want to face him -- no, that was too intimate -- and you didn’t want to turn away from him, because well, that would seem rude. Your plan was to simply wait it out then adjust your position after he fell asleep. 

That didn’t take long at all. Sakusa’s soft snores filled your ears and you let out a long sigh, finally releasing all the tension from your body. You shifted ever so slightly and turned to face Sakusa, who was as still as a corpse on his back. As usual, you curled up and closed your eyes, dozing off not long after Sakusa. 

Through the night, you had managed to inch closer to Sakusa, whose arm draped over you at first, then he slowly rolled onto his side and pulled you flush to his chest. You barely registered him adoring you with languid strokes on your head, which you thought were phantom sensations. 

By sunrise, you were completely tangled, not knowing where you ended and Sakusa began. Your neck was nestled against his shoulder and your legs were intertwined with his. One of his arms was under you and the other was resting on your hip. 

“Good morning,” you mumbled, reaching to touch Sakusa’s forehead instinctively. He chuckled and nuzzled your cheek, hesitating a second before peppering your shoulder with kisses. “Omi,” you warned, utterly confused at his actions. 

He didn’t stop, now escalating to leaving love bites all over your neck, shoulders, and collarbone. You moaned and writhed under him, completely imprisoned under the partial weight of his upper body. 

“Thank you,” Sakusa mumbled, his hands venturing under your sweatshirt. His fingertips danced up your sides and you hiccuped, inhaling sharply. 

“Omi,” you gritted through your teeth, digging your fingernails into his back and dragging them down leisurely. 

Sakusa disappeared under your sweatshirt and his head popped out right next to yours but not before stopping momentarily to nip at the top of your breasts. “I’m glad I got sick now,” Sakusa mused, kissing your cheek. “Thank you for taking care of me.” Another kiss to your other cheek. 

Was this all a show of gratitude? If it was, it was crueler than anything. You stiffened at his touches, which he immediately noticed. 

“It was so hard to approach you with all the other guys orbiting around you,” Sakusa admitted, kissing the tip of your nose. “I didn’t know whether you reciprocated their affection because you liked them or because you were just naturally loving.” He pressed his lips to your temples. “So I held back, waiting and restraining myself because the moment I got touchy with you, the guys would pester me.” A longer kiss to your left cheek. “Bokuto told me months ago about how much you struggled with me, not knowing if I hated you or not.” A kiss to your right cheek. “But I hope you know now, just how much I’m smitten with you.” 

All the air in your lungs disappeared as Sakusa finally kissed your lips, snaking an arm through the sweatshirt to cup your cheek. His lips were gentle, parting slightly to sneak his tongue into your mouth, eagerly embracing the opportunity to explore your body. 

Your insecurities still lingered, unsure if this was a temporary bout of madness on Sakusa’s part or yours, but for now, you were content to lounge all morning in his arms. 

All the way to the door of Bokuto’s apartment, Sakusa held your hand in his coat pocket, his thumb rubbing circles on your hand. As you approached the door, you began to withdraw your hand from him, now knowing that he wasn’t particularly fond of any form of physical affection in public. He let your hand go and you acknowledged it as a sign that Sakusa was still very much uncomfortable with you. 

The door burst open and Hinata jumped into your arms, making you stagger a bit. He dropped down and excitedly waved to Sakusa before letting the two of you in. If he thought something was weird with the two of you arriving together, he didn’t reveal it. 

“Hey hey hey!” Bokuto boomed, tackling you in a hug, lifting you up by your thighs. You locked your legs around his waist, already predicting his spins. 

“Bokuto, let her down,” Akaashi scolded, hugging you and kissing your cheek when Bokuto finally released you. Afterward, you circulated around the room, greeting each player from Black Jackals and the Schweiden Adlers, who were also invited. 

It had been weeks since you saw Kageyama, Ushijima, and Hoshiumi, all three who monopolized the first thirty minutes of the party. Sakusa had drifted to the corner of the living room, leaning against the wall and scrolling through his phone. Finally, you had a moment to yourself, which you used to check up on Sakusa. 

Discreetly, you felt his forehead again, making him laugh. “I’m fine,” he sighed, bringing down your hand with a grip on your wrist. 

Feeling like you overstepped the invisible boundary, apologies flowed from your lips. You stepped back to give him some more space, bumping into Ushijima, who was thoroughly drunk from two cups of eggnog. 

Judgment and reaction clouded, Ushijima engulfed you in a bear hug and lifted you up, kissing you all over your face. “Happy holidays, beautiful,” he gushed, eliciting hiccuped giggles from you. 

“Ushijima, put me down,” you whined and he obliged, dropping you a bit too clumsily. Sakusa’s hands shot out to steady you and you expected him to retreat immediately. He didn’t. Instead, he tugged you straight into his arms and spun you to pin you against the wall, a hand planted by your head to cage you. His eyes burned with jealousy as he leaned down to kiss you hungrily, oblivious to all the eyes on the two of you. 

Clearly, he wasn’t satisfied with your turtleneck sweater because he tugged the neckline down to kiss over the hickies he had left earlier this morning. 

“Omi, people are staring,” you whispered with your fingers lost in his wavy black hair. You didn’t mind but you were certain that Sakusa would. 

For a moment, Sakusa pulled away and turned to face the entirety of the room staring at the two of you. Some pretended to not stare by averting their gaze, but others like Bokuto had their eyes glued on you. 

“We’re dating,” Sakusa plainly announced before turning to kiss your cheek. “Happy holidays and I’ll see you all in the new year.” He led you out of the party through the crowd and a furious blush burned your cheeks. You mumbled goodbyes as you passed by your friends with Sakusa clutching onto your arm. 

The door of Bokuto’s apartment shut behind you and you sighed, rotating your wrists after Sakusa’s strong grip was gone. 

“Mine.” Sakusa carried you just like Bokuto did, pinning you against Bokuto’s door. A burst of bubbly laughter escaped your lips and you kissed Sakusa sweetly, swearing to yourself to never let him go.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Halloween! Unless my quarantine Halloween derails my plans, I hope to have Tanaka's chapter out by tomorrow! Once again, midterms are fast approaching so I'll most likely update at the end of the week! As always, comments, kudos, and requests are appreciated! 
> 
> Upcoming: Tanaka, Kinoshita, Lev, Takeda, Goshiki, Koganegawa :)


	24. Tanaka Ryuunosuke

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Recklessness and spontaneity dominate Tanaka and your friendship but can your friendship last the seven-year itch, or do you get bored of him too? 
> 
> *for the purposes of this chapter my love Kiyoko does not exist or else I could not bear to write this lmao*

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sincerest apologies for updating after so long... midterms came and went... leaving me in the dust. Anyways, thank you for waiting so long and I hope you enjoy!

With a frustrated sigh, you slammed the barbell up on the bench press and laid there, staring up at the white ceiling tiles. 

Tanaka loomed over you and frowned. “Rough day?”

“Rough month,” you growled, jolting up. “Finally broke up with that swimsuit model.” 

Tanaka energetically high-fived you and offered a hand to help you sit up. “About time! This one lasted two months, I’m impressed,” he mused, clearly sarcastic. Your relationships had a time limit of one month and rarely did you surpass a month and a half. As your long-time personal trainer, Tanaka knew all the gossip surrounding your life, since you often complained during your workouts. 

Wiping away your sweat with a towel, you collapsed onto the floor, beckoning Tanaka to join you. It was nearly 3 AM and the entire gym was empty. 

“Come here,” Tanaka sat down on the cold gym floor, cross-legged. Cradling your head, Tanaka raised your upper body slightly so that you could comfortably rest in his lap. Looking up at him, you launched into a rant about your shitty day at work. 

“So, I show up to the set, right? I was already fitted for the wedding dress I was supposed to model, but some senior model came and stole the dress from me! I was dismissed and after spending two hours in hair and makeup,” you spat, blood boiling in your veins just from the memory. 

Tanaka softly dabbed away the sweat glistening on your forehead and fanned you with the towel. “No wonder you came to work out so late,” Tanaka muttered, tucking away the flyaway hairs into your headband. 

His gentle touches were so unlike his rough and tough exterior yet you appreciated how just his fingertips could steady your breathing.

As a kid, you never liked working out. After becoming a model thanks to the Haiba siblings, you began to exercise and release the stress from your job through intense weightlifting sessions, which Tanaka supervised. Lev had introduced you to Tanaka’s gym, claiming that he was one of the most energetic and interesting personal trainers he had ever met. He wasn’t lying. Whenever you sent him a text to book a session, Tanaka responded with a “Hell yes, see you soon.” 

The perks of owning a 24-hour gym meant that you had access to Tanaka at all hours of the day, no matter what time your modeling gigs ended. 

“Tanaka, I swear, I don’t know how much longer I’ll last in this industry,” you sighed, poking his thigh repeatedly. Modeling allowed you to accumulate a significant sum of money since you worked every day of your life since graduating high school. At 25, you had a sizable apartment to your name along with investments in various tech companies at Kenma’s instruction. Some days, you really did consider quitting. 

“So quit!” Ever the spontaneous and irrational man, you flicked Tanaka’s forehead. “You always complain, so why not? Just let me wife you up,” Tanaka joked, grinning mischievously. 

You rolled your eyes at him and lectured, “You can’t handle me and we both know it.” 

“I think I can handle you just fine.” Tanaka pressed a kiss to your forehead and patted your shoulders, a sign for you to sit up. You did and allowed Tanaka to help you stand, since your legs were shot from running five miles on the treadmill earlier. 

Tanaka had been relentless in chasing after you. It began as subtle, mutual flirting between the two of you during your workout sessions that developed into brunch dates, movie nights at his apartment, and weekend nights getting drunk while restaurant hopping. Even though all the guys in the world would abandon you or you would cut them off, Tanaka never did. You knew that he was good for you, but was just waiting for a sign from the universe to act on the burgeoning attraction. 

“Want me to help you clean up?” You glanced at the clock. “The next shift will be here in ten minutes and I don’t mind waiting to walk home with you.” 

Tanaka gladly accepted your offer and you immediately set out to wipe down the machines alongside him. The two of you bickered about where to eat brunch in a few hours, although both of you knew that you would end up at your favorite place with bottomless mimosas. Tanaka always conceded to your stubborn personality with a laugh, grabbing your hand and escorting you to wherever your heart desired. 

Seven years of friendship between the two of you asserted Tanaka as your best friend to date. You never really stuck with one friend group throughout high school, instead choosing to drift from group to group whenever you wished. People had a tendency to bore you but Tanaka had an explosive personality that kept you on the edge of your seat. 

Whether it was torturing you with five more sets or demanding you join him on a night of binge drinking at the karaoke bar after either of you broke up, Tanaka never seemed to bore you. 

Tonight was no different. “Let’s celebrate your freedom and book it to the amusement park. I know you’re an adrenaline junkie,” Tanaka sang, beckoning you with his pointer finger. A coy smile crept up your face and you flashed him a thumbs-up, unable to wipe away the grin. 

An hour later, your arms were wrapped tightly around Tanaka’s waist on the back of his motorcycle. You rested your helmet-clad head against his back with your eyes closed, savoring the feeling of the wind tugging your hair in all directions. 

Both of you were reckless and immature to some people while others envied your spontaneity and appreciation of your twenties. 

You tightened your grip on Tanaka’s waist and he gently placed one of his hands over your clasped ones. He rubbed your hands to keep them warm, even if it was temporary. 

“Should’ve taken my jacket when I offered!” Tanaka shouted at you and you squeezed his waist. 

“I’m fine!” You lied, suppressing a shudder traveling down your spine as best you could. 

The motorcycle swerved onto the shoulder of the highway and stalled. Tanaka forced you to wear his jacket, insisting that your body heat on his back was more than enough to keep him warm. 

“Alright, alright,” you surrendered quietly, gripping the edge of the sleeves to tuck in your hands as much as possible. Mounting the motorcycle, you snuggled against Tanaka’s back, reveling in his warmth. 

The motorcycle pulled into the vacant parking lot of the amusement park which had opened less than five minutes ago. Flashing your annual passes, Tanaka and you raced to the most daunting rollercoaster, riding it over ten times until the sun came up. 

Adrenaline was pumping through your veins and for a split second, you turned to look at Tanaka. Against the beautiful warm glow of the winter sun, you stopped to admire just how gorgeous he looked. The way his sharp jawline cut through the orange sky, the way the tip of his nose caught a ray of sun, and the way his cheekbones cast shadows on his face made you blink rapidly. It was as if you were bewitched with the flick of a switch. 

“Shit.” 

Tanaka’s head snapped around to meet your gaze. “What’s wrong?” 

You shook your head vigorously and insisted that nothing was wrong. The frown on Tanaka’s face didn’t disappear immediately but he dropped the topic, grabbing your hand and taking you towards the drop tower. 

Although you loved the drop tower, it stirred fear and excitement in your heart simultaneously, which manifested as your incessant drumming of the fingers on Tanaka’s arm. From behind, Tanaka had both arms wrapped across your chest and his chin rested on your right shoulder. 

“Please follow me!” The chipper attendant strapped Tanaka and you into the seats, double-checking the safety mechanisms before retreating to operate the ride. 

As rocketed into the sky, you screamed, a hand blindly searching for Tanaka’s. He gripped yours with brute strength, nurtured from his days as a high school volleyball athlete, and now hardened as a personal trainer. 

When the ride stopped at the climax, you peeled your eyes open and frantically looked at Tanaka. For a moment, you were caught up in his beauty. He smiled the same smile you had seen for years yet for some reason, it quelled your fears. 

“Fuck it!” You screamed, making Tanaka jump from your sudden outburst. “Let’s go on a date!” 

“Call this our first date!” Tanaka screeched as the two of you plummeted towards the ground, never letting go of your hand. 

With both feet firmly planted on the ground, Tanaka began to question you. “So, what changed after all these years?” His hand was clasping yours, swinging your arm in a huge arc. He was buzzing and suppressing his excitement pretty well, which surprised you.

“I don’t know,” you shrugged, “I saw you, and all of a sudden, I knew I wanted to kiss you.”

“So why don’t you?” 

He didn’t have to tell you twice. You pulled him in by his arm and smashed your lips to his, interlocking your fingers at the base of his neck. Unexpectedly, his hands were hesitant to explore your body, lingering around your waist. 

As forward as Tanaka was, when it came to you, he wasn’t careless. He was attentive to every one of your subtle mood swifts, knowing with one twitch of your mouth that you were on the verge of laughing or attacking someone or that a darting of your eyes meant that you wanted to leave the room immediately. Knowing your rap sheet and the long list of short-term relationships in your history, Tanaka was willing to cater to your needs in this fledgling relationship. 

“Hey,” you whispered, pulling back to admire his face again. “I’m not made of glass, you know.”

Pressing a kiss to your forehead, Tanaka admitted, “I just want you to be comfortable. This is all so new and I know you usually fall in love quickly so I-” 

You cut him off with another kiss, biting his lower lip and bumping your forehead against his. “You’ve been dealing with me for seven years,” you exclaimed, “I think I finally realized I was missing out on the best guy out there.” 

“I know not to question your insanity anymore. I’m honored,” Tanaka mocking bowed and you kicked him lightly in the shin, giggling. 

Tanaka retaliated by lunging at your with his fingers poised to poke your sides, relentless in his pursuit and chasing you all the way to the parking lot.

“If I just knew how to drive this motorcycle, I would abandon you in a heartbeat,” you taunted, circling around the motorcycle. “I would never abandon you otherwise but don’t you dare come at me with those fingers!” 

The two of you ran circles around the parked motorcycle like children, only coming to a truce when Tanaka leaned over the motorcycle and grabbed your chin to bring you in for a kiss. 

“You know what?” 

“Hm?” You cocked your head and stared at him curiously. 

“I think we should get married.” Tanaka expected you to resist but was genuinely shocked when you agreed. 

Truthfully, you didn’t see the point in waiting if the universe gave you the green light. You had seven years of knowing Tanaka as experience and didn’t see the harm in jumping in. 

“Today,” you announced, “I think today should be the day we get married.”

Tanaka looked at you incredulously, his jaw hanging open. You cupped his chin with the palm of your hand and closed his mouth. 

“We need a witness, who should we call? Lev?” 

“Absolutely not! With Lev’s big ass mouth, half of your high school volleyball team will hear about our marriage before my parents do!” 

Tanaka burst out laughing and agreed. “Okay, so how about Daichi?” 

“Perfect. Send him a text and tell him to meet us at city hall in an hour. I at least want to get dressed.” 

Even though Daichi was your witness, the entire Karasuno volleyball team found out within six hours of signing the marriage certificate. Your message inbox was flooded with congratulations, all of which expressed how they were expecting this all along and that it was a matter of time until Tanaka and you tied the knot. 

Cuddling on the couch in your living room, you lazily sighed, “I’m bored.” Your chest was pressed against Tanaka’s below you and you shifted to pout up at him. When he feigned being asleep, you prodded at his chest, giggling when it was evident that he was trying his damn best to suppress a laugh. “Just give up,” you coaxed, resorting to poking his cheeks. 

Tanaka’s eyes popped open as if he was struck with a brilliant idea. “I know how to entertain you.” He tapped on your shoulders and you rolled off of the couch and onto the floor. 

Taking his outstretched hands, you stood up and asked, “What do you have in mind?” 

All he gave you was a wink before throwing you over his shoulder and running to the bedroom.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, comments and kudos are appreciated! Upcoming are: Kinoshita, Lev, Takeda, Goshiki, and Koganegawa!


	25. Kinoshita Hisashi

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As Daichi's little sister, you know first hand how tough the older Coach Ukai's practices are. Although you're glad to be spending more time with the three boys who quit attending practices, especially Kinoshita, the court is where they look the best. Will you give up spending time with Kinoshita and get him on the court again?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TA-DA! Finally, an update that isn't a week apart! Anyways, definitely look forward to another update this week, since my uni coursework is finally dying down! Also, thank you so much for 800+ kudos!!

“If you hate volleyball so much, why do you insist on forcing me to practice with you?” You demanded, hurling the volleyball at Kinoshita’s head. “If Old Man Ukai is bothering you so much, why not just quit the team?” 

Kinoshita just barely dodged your ball and looked at you in horror. “Has Daichi been making you practice with him at night or something? How come your throws are getting stronger?” 

You stuck out your tongue and glowered at Kinoshita and motioned for him to toss the volleyball to you, which he did. Spinning the ball between your hands as he watched, you wound up and hurled the ball at him again, this time hitting him in the stomach. “I played dodgeball with my siblings all summer,” you grinned wickedly. “I may be the oldest after Daichi, but my three younger siblings are way more athletic.” 

Kinoshita shuddered and tossed the volleyball to you so that you could spike it at him. “You’re still terrifyingly powerful.” 

This week, he was forcing you to help him practice his receives. The week prior, he bribed you with snacks and homework help to toss to him, so that he could practice his spikes. You liked spending this much time with Kinoshita since Daichi and the volleyball club usually hogged the majority of his free time. 

Narita and Ennoshita would occasionally request for you to play 2-on-2 with them along with Kinoshita, but knowing how all of them were missing volleyball, it was only a matter of time before they returned to practice with Old Man Ukai.

“Although,” you drew out the word to spike the ball towards Kinoshita, “I like spending this much time with you.” You were definitely insinuating something and yet, Kinoshita was as clueless as ever. 

You only ever played volleyball with your siblings under the direction of Daichi but occasionally, you would join in on the Karasuno after school practices for fun, especially during their off-season. 

All of Daichi’s teammates were attractive, but Kinoshita was the only one who ran with you during the long-distance runs that Old Man Ukai would mandate on weekends. Everyone else was too fast or too slow but Kinoshita kept your pace and chatted with you for the forty-minute run. 

“Glad you like keeping me around,” Kinoshita grunted as he spiked the ball at you, which you dived to receive. There was a small cloud of sand that rose around your slumped form and you shoved your head into your caged arms, creating a small space between you and the sand below to avoid inhaling any particles. 

The sand settled into a thin layer around your skin and when Kinoshita’s hands tapped your back, you finally stood up. His hands and yours busily brushed the sand off your skin and it certainly wasn’t the stinging sensation of scrapes that fired your nerves like crazy whenever his fingertips were on your skin.

“Daichi is going to kill me,” Kinoshita murmured as he lifted your arms to examine the scrapes on your stomach. 

You scoffed and glared at him. “I think you should be more scared of me,” you casually noted, but his hands were firmly planted on your hips and he was insistent upon studying the huge scrape across your stomach, crouching with eyes level at your belly button. “I’m fine, Hisashi,” you cupped his face with both hands and guided him to stand up. 

“Come on, let’s clean the wound,” Kinoshita dragged you off of the court and pushed you to lie down on a park bench. He trickled water over the wound and you winced, the stinging sensation forcing you to leave crescent-shaped indentations on his forearm. 

Still unsatisfied with your state, Kinoshita begged, “Can we stop by my house so I can at least bandage it up for you?” You didn’t resist, enjoying him fret over you. 

He fetched the volleyball and returned to your side, helping you sit up, even though you didn’t need the assistance at all, and took your hand in his. The two of you walked side by side, with you desperately attempting to suppress the giddy smile. His face was too etched with concern to notice your joy. 

You still felt grimy, crusted with blood and sand, when you arrived at his house. Truthfully, your house was only three blocks away and any one of your siblings could have treated you, but at least with Kinoshita, you had the luxury of admiring his face while you tried to ignore the pain. 

“Can I take a shower?” You asked carefully, your hands hovering over the hem of your sports bra. 

“Of course,” Kinoshita gushed, guiding you to the bathroom and pointing out where everything was, even though it was in plain sight. “I’ll leave a towel and some of my clothes for you next to the sink, okay?”

You nodded and slipped off your clothes, leaving them in a dusty pile, before stepping into the shower and closing the curtains. The water stung every part of your raw skin but you suffered through, gritting your teeth, cautious to avoid any contact with shampoo or conditioner on the skin. 

To be honest, you were surprised that Kinoshita didn’t have a pitiful selection of bath and body products. There wasn’t a single bottle of 2-in-1 shampoo or conditioner in sight and there was a minty body wash that you fully took advantage of. 

Stepping out of the shower, you couldn’t help but smile at the neatly folded pair of sweatpants and T-shirt. Just under the towel was a pair of boxers, which you laughed at.

“Everything good in there?” Kinoshita called out and you quickly changed and joined him in the room. 

“All good,” you announced. Kinoshita burst out laughing at your hair up in a towel, balanced precariously. 

You toweled off your hair and tossed the towel into the laundry bin in his bathroom closet and waddled over to the bed. Flipping up the shirt to just under your breasts, you motioned for Kinoshita to clean the scrape with rubbing alcohol and apply ointment. 

Wincing as the rubbing alcohol stung your skin, you bit down on the hem of the hiked-up shirt, cursing out Kinoshita through the fabric. “Fuck fuck fuck,” you mumbled, thrashing around at the sensation. 

“Stay still! I just have to apply the ointment,” Kinoshita pressed his forearm across your ribcage to hold you down since you were clearly unable to do so yourself. His arm was dangerously close to your breasts and with one final thrash, Kinoshita froze as his arms made contact. 

You looked up at him with a bored expression, pretending like you weren’t phased at all. He, on the other hand, was flushing bright pink. 

In an effort to play off what had just occurred, you diverted the conversation to volleyball again. “I know it’s not just the difficult practices that are preventing you from going back to volleyball,” you mused, staring down at Kinoshita’s lowered head completely focused on evenly spreading the ointment over your scrape with his right pinky. 

“I don’t think I’m good enough,” he finally admitted. “Practice just makes me feel incompetent because I can’t keep up.” 

“Hey,” you nudged him away and sat up partially, leaning back on your elbows to allow the ointment to dry. “No one said you had to be perfect. The whole point of practice is to work on yourself.” 

Kinoshita just stared down at you, silently absorbing your words. 

To lighten the mood, you quipped, “Plus, Daichi’s also suffering-- these days, he comes home after practice and passes out until dinner. My point is, it’s not just you, and also, this is high school volleyball. Your life doesn’t depend on this.” 

Kinoshita ran his hand through his hair and sighed. “Is Daichi putting you up to this?” 

You feigned being offended and admitted truthfully, “I just miss seeing you playing volleyball.” Pulling your shirt down, you sat up completely and leaned forward. “I don’t think you should let hating practice and feeling incompetent stop you from playing volleyball.” 

He remained quiet, so you shrugged and scooted off of his bed. “I’m late for dinner, but I’ll get these clothes to you tomorrow, okay? See you at school.” You waved and left, hoping that Kinoshita would consider what you had said to him. 

It had been over a month since Kinoshita, Narita, and Ennoshita had last gone to practice and although it didn’t weigh too heavily on Daichi’s mind, he did want to talk to you about it, knowing that you had been spending more time with them. 

The conversation began after dinner, while Daichi was washing the dishes and you were drying them. 

“How are they?” Daichi asked you cautiously, glancing over at you. 

“They all insist on playing volleyball with me, so they don’t hate the sport itself,” you revealed. “I’m trying to convince Kinoshita but I don’t know how effective I’m being.” 

Daichi nodded in approval and probed further. “How is Kinoshita? You have been spending more time with him, haven’t you?” 

“Uh,” you hesitated, but you really didn’t mind being upfront with Daichi, who was only 16 months older than you. “I like him and I like spending time with him, even though he probably just wants me for volleyball practice,” you blurted, staring down at the dish in your hand. 

Daichi looked at you incredulously, his hands were frozen in place, with a fork clattering back into the sink, slipping from his hand. “Kinoshita?” was all he could ask. 

“What? He’s hot and he’s nice,” you shrugged, continuing to wipe down the plates. “Although, I think he is pretty clueless. I could ask him to kiss me and probably wouldn’t get it still.” 

“Huh.” The shock wore off and Daichi resumed washing the dishes, musing out loud, “He’s a good kid, I can see it work.” 

“Don’t you dare meddle!” You threatened, holding the fork menacingly at him. “He already has a lot on his plate and until he settles this volleyball issue, I’m going to let him be.” 

You didn’t need to wait for long. The very next day, Kinoshita, Narita, and Ennoshita appeared at practice, only to realize that Old Man Ukai had retreated back into retirement. You saw all three boys in class, but after school, you were alone again, buried in homework, and taking care of your two younger siblings for the remainder of the week. 

Friday afternoon, three days after the Karasuno boy’s volleyball team was reunited, you were hunched over your desk and scribbling nonsense answers to an integration problem. You jumped when the door to your bedroom was thrown open. 

“Someone is looking for you at the door,” your little sister sang, diving onto your bed. “He’s cute,” she teased and you rolled your eyes, dropping your pen onto your desk and heading to the door. Your sister was trailing right behind, practically on your heels. 

The door was wide open and Kinoshita stood in the doorway, fidgeting with his hands. Narita and Ennoshita were across the street, pretending to be causally waiting for the bus. 

“Hi,” you breathed out, nudging your sister behind you and shutting the door, stepping out for some privacy. “What’s up?”

“I haven’t seen you for a while, so I missed you,” Kinoshita grinned, his hand darting out to grab yours. “How’s your scrape?” 

“It’s healing nicely.” You lifted the hem of your shirt and flashed the scabs etched across your midsection. “How’s practice?”

Kinoshita sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. “Old Man Ukai may be gone, but Daichi has definitely learned new training methods. He’s really killing us.” 

“It’s revenge,” you joked, eliciting a laugh from him. “So, why the backup?” You looked past Kinoshita to wave to Ennoshita and Narita, smiling widely. 

“Um,” Kinoshita glanced back at the duo whooping and cheering. “You. Me. Date?” 

Bubbly laughter exploded from your chest and you had to wipe away the tears running down your eyes. “Oh my gosh,” you choked out, wheezing. “I would love to.” 

Kinoshita turned around to flash a thumbs up at his friends, who rushed towards the two of you, squeezing you in their arms. 

“So which one of you figured it out, because it certainly wasn’t Kinoshita all by himself.” You crossed your arms and looked between Narita and Ennoshita. 

Ennoshita raised his hand hesitantly, grinning. “I’ve been hearing about how much time you’ve been spending with Kinoshita and advised him to just take the plunge.”

“Plus,” Narita interjected, “We heard about your little sand volleyball court incident.” 

“Well, thanks boys for all your hard work, but this one’s mine for the rest of the afternoon.” You grabbed onto the sleeve of Kinoshita’s sweatshirt and pulled him towards you, wrapping your arms around his waist. “See you all at school tomorrow,” you sang as you fumbled to open the door behind you and drag Kinoshita inside. 

“I’m not saying to pick me over volleyball because that’s childish, but I missed you.” 

“Thanks for reminding me how much I love volleyball and thanking you for being so patient with me,” Kinoshita kissed your forehead and held your hand, although the moment was interrupted by a high-pitched squeal from your sister. 

You sharply turned to glare and she dashed around the corner, leaving the two of you alone. “I did get injured for this, so I think you have a lot to make up for,” you winked. 

“How about I help you out with tonight’s calculus homework then cuddle with you?” 

He knew exactly the way to your heart. “That’ll do,” you replied, more than pleased, as you led him to your bedroom.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again, thank you for reading, commenting, and the kudos! I can't believe this is my first work and it's been so well-received :') thank you to all you lovely readers! 
> 
> Upcoming: Lev, Takeda, Goshiki, and Koganegawa :) 
> 
> Feel free to comment any remaining requests! 
> 
> Also... I'm contemplating Christmas themed series... let me know any thoughts and suggestions!


	26. Haiba Lev

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Despite living with Alisa, you didn't meet Lev until you returned from a long business trip to New York. Can you resist Lev's playful flirting and will Alisa approve?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Holy shit, thank you so much for 900+ kudos!

“Alisa! I’m back,” you grunted as you dragged two suitcases past the door with a duffel bag slung over one shoulder and a tote bag on the other. Three months overseas forced you to move half your closet to New York and back, resulting in a nightmare when you were changing flights twice on the way back home. 

Stumbling into the open living room and kitchen area, you unceremoniously dumped the two bags on your shoulder and stretched. While twisting your waist and arms raised high over your head, eyes shut close, you heard someone clear their throat. 

Your eyes popped open and met the cat-like green eyes of a silver-haired man towering over you. “Who are you?” You asked pointedly, crossing your arms over your chest guardedly. 

“Lev,” he grinned like Cheshire cat, extending his hand out. “Haiba,” he added, realizing that you were still defensive. 

It clicked in your head and you realized that standing in front of you was Alisa’s precious Lyovochka, her little brother. He was wearing a light blue button-up shirt, with the sleeves rolled up to his elbow and the top two buttons popped open. 

“Oh, hello,” you took his hand and shook it, pretending to be unfazed at how hot your best friend’s brother was. You didn’t recall seeing him in any pictures around the house but had heard of him constantly on your phone calls while you were in New York. You introduced yourself and excused yourself, claiming that you were desperate to shower and unpack as soon as possible, since you had a packed schedule tomorrow.

“Let me help,” Lev eagerly tossed your bags over his shoulders and rolled a suitcase behind him and you nodded mindlessly, trailing behind him with the last suitcase. He knew the layout of the apartment well, revealing that he had been crashing here for the past week while he settled into a new apartment next week. 

Lev lingered in your room while you unpacked, perched on the edge of your bare mattress, chatting away about everything and nothing. Every so often, you would peek out from your walk-in closet to glance and admire Lev. You thought you were being subtle but several times, Lev smirked at you whenever you were caught staring for a second too long.

“So I’m scheduled for underwear modeling tomorrow for a major international brand, but I’ve never worked with the photographer. According to Alisa, he’s a complete weirdo and I can’t say that I’m looking forward to it.” You were deep in your closet listening to Lev when you popped out hearing his plans for tomorrow. 

“Wait,” you stepped out of the closet with an armful of spring/summer clothes, staring down at Lev. “The photographer’s name is Brian right?” 

“Yup,” Lev sighed, reclining until his head met the mattress. “Wait, how do you know?” 

“I’m one of the other models in the campaign tomorrow,” you revealed before retreating back into your closet. 

Lev launched himself off of your mattress and joined you on the floor of your walk-in closet. Staring up at you like a child, Lev continued to gossip about Brian the photographer while you arranged your clothes from your suitcase. “So yeah, if the set is super awkward tomorrow, I’m not returning for the second day. Who cares about the payday?” Lev leaned back with his hands locked behind his head, supporting it. 

“You better watch out for me,” you warned, “I heard he’s a grabber.” 

“Alisa would kill me if I didn’t,” Lev grinned, assuring you. “Oh, you probably didn’t have time to check your phone, but Alisa’s at her boyfriend’s tonight so it’s just us.” 

All you wanted was to take a bath and shower in peace, but you didn’t want to be cooped up in your room all night, ignoring Lev. You let him lounge around in your room and closet until you finished up and finally, he returned to the kitchen to wash the remainder of the dishes he had abandoned upon your arrival. 

You spent half an hour less than you usually would in the bathroom and rejoined Lev in the living room. “I’ll cook dinner,” you offered, tying an apron around you as you crossed the living room.

Eagerly, Lev nodded, seating himself on top of the kitchen island to observe you. Christmas was playing a few weeks too early for your taste, but Lev was bouncing along to the jolly rhythm, his eyes tracking your every move. 

“What is it with Haiba genes? Both Alisa and you are so gorgeous it’s annoying.” You shot Lev a lighthearted, dirty look as a joke and he reciprocated the look with his tongue sticking out. 

“Jealous much?” You nodded. “Well, you’re prettier than me,” Lev shrugged and dropped down from the kitchen island and down next to you, his hands firmly on your shoulders while you stirred the vegetables and noodles around in the wok. 

You let out a crystal clear laugh, tilting up to meet his eyes. “Are you this flirty with everyone you meet?” 

“No, just you.” 

“Lev,” you sighed, “You’re Alisa’s brother.” You emphasized the last word, laced with all the concerns regarding jeopardizing your relationship with Alisa. “I think you’re wonderful but I just don’t see us working out.” 

His hands didn’t shrink away from you but instead, wrapped themselves around your waist. He buried his head in the crook of your neck, pouting like a child. “How do you know that?” 

You shrugged. “I just do.” 

“You can’t deny me for long,” Lev feigned a menacing tone, drawing out a sigh from you. 

“Lev,” you dropped your voice low, warning him. He ignored you, peppering light kisses all over your shoulders and neck. Your hold on the chopsticks was shaky and your breathing was uneven, but your eyes were focused on the food in an attempt to ignore Lev. 

Dinner was painful, with Lev playfully trailing his fingers up your thighs as the two of you were sitting on high bar stools at the kitchen island. A few times, your chopsticks fell out of your hand, clattering onto the plate, which only made Lev chuckle. Your glares did nothing to stop him.

“You’re doing the dishes,” you announced, abandoning the living room and running into the safety of your bedroom. You shut the door tight, desperate for your lust to ebb away. You could hear the water in the kitchen sink running and the clanking of plates relaxed you. 

You fell asleep without seeing Lev again that night but he managed to haunt your dreams. You were soaked in sweat when you woke up, with no recollection of exactly what you dreamt, but armed with the suspicion that Lev had been dominating your dreams all night. Damn him. Now you had a long day on set with him. 

Knowing that you would be dressed and sitting in a makeup chair on set, you settled for a quick shower to wash your hair and walked out to the scent of something sweet. 

You cracked the door open to your bedroom and peered out, catching Lev flipping a pancake and catching it dangerously. 

“Good morning,” you strolled into the kitchen, trying so hard to be nonchalant. You forced your eyes to avert from a shirtless Lev, who seemed hell-bent on seducing you at this point. You buried your face into a cup of steaming hot coffee that Lev had set out for you, your eyes glued to the phone in your hand. 

“Good morning,” Lev leaned over from the other side of the kitchen island and peered down at your phone. You were in the middle of composing a text to Alisa, asking her to have dinner with you. You were desperate to talk to Alisa and just spill your guts, absolving you of the guilt of harboring so much attraction to her little brother. “Hm, Alisa’s probably asleep.” 

“I know,” you bitterly sighed, finally looking up at him. It was almost irritating how he was looking at you with such intensity-- that mischievous glint in his eyes mixed with lust unnerved you at 6 in the morning. “Lev,” you scolded but without much heart into it. Your resolve was crumbling by the second. 

“Come on, I’ll drive us to the set,” Lev announced, munching on a piece of toast as he walked off towards the guest bedroom he was residing in. “Meet you in the living room in five minutes!” 

You poured the remainder of your coffee into a travel mug and scurried into your room to pull on a pair of black sweatpants and a black hoodie. Even though you were a model, you weren’t particularly fashionable outside of work. You definitely preferred comfort over style. 

It was jarring how different Lev and you looked side by side in the living room. He was dressed up in a crisp white button-up shirt with navy chino pants. You stared at him, feeling like a gremlin next to him. Nonchalantly, you walked towards the door, motioning for him to follow you. 

The car ride was filled with music and laughter as Lev teased you about your outfit. 

“You’re so laidback,” Lev commented, examining you from head to toe again in the car. “Alisa and you are day and night.” 

You laughed and shot back, “Alisa and you are like two peas in a pod. Both of you are so refined and put together. It’s rather quite annoying, actually!” 

Lev pulled into the parking lot, the two of you bickering all the way into the warehouse where the set was. In the hair and makeup chairs, the two of you continued to tease each other, with Lev insisting that you were destined to go on a date with him. 

While the hairstylists stepped away to work on other models, Lev extended his arm towards you, linking his pinky with yours that was resting over the armrest. 

“You’re going to be the death of me,” you lamented, knowing too well that you were defenseless to his charm. 

“I know,” Lev smirked, swinging your connected arms. 

The photoshoot was intense with so many intimate poses between Lev and you that at one point, you were practically naked and in bed with him, to Lev’s obvious delight. His teasing was endless and the laughter on set from the two of you did earn some dirty looks, but the two of you snickered in between the flashes of the camera. 

For one particular scene, Lev had pinned you against the wall and had lifted you up, his lips hovering right over yours. Fifty flashes of the camera later, Lev returned your feet to the round and you exhaled in relief. You needed to talk to Alisa _now._

During the lunch break, you scurried to the bathroom and locked yourself in a stall. Firmly pressing on Alisa’s speed dial number, your hand was shaking as you lifted the phone to your ear. 

“Hello?” Alisa’s bright voice entered your ear and you cleared your throat. 

“Alisa,” you whispered, “I’m ten seconds away from making out with Lev so please say you approve.” 

Her crisp laughter traveled through the phone and her hiccups followed. “Oh my gosh,” she finally choked out, “You have my permission!”

“Thank goodness,” you sobbed, hanging up abruptly to search for Lev. 

You found him destroying a sandwich in a makeup chair and upon seeing you practically sprinting towards him, Lev quickly wrapped up the sandwich in its original plastic and tossed it over his shoulder onto the makeup table behind him. 

Pouncing on him, you sat on his lap, cupping his face in your hands. Testing the waters, you placed an innocent kiss on his lips, your fingers trembling on his cheeks. 

“Alisa approves, I assume?” Lev mused when the two of you broke apart. 

“Absolutely,” you proudly announced, kissing him again on his cheek. “What are you doing after this?” 

“I’m busy,” Lev said haughtily, smirking. 

A look of hurt flashed across your face but you regained your composure quickly. “Oh, I see.” 

“Aren’t you going to ask _why_ I’m busy?” Lev asked and you shrugged. “Well, I’m going on a date with you later, so I’ll be extremely busy, unfortunately.” 

You smacked Lev’s arm and rolled your eyes, but the smile on your face said it all. “One thing is certain,” you concluded, “You’ll never bore me and will always keep me on my toes.” 

“Of course,” Lev cooed, tilting your chin up with a finger and meeting your lips. “You wouldn’t have it any other way.” 

“No, I wouldn’t.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for all the wonderful comments, kudos, and requests! Upcoming are: Takeda, Goshiki, and Koganegawa!


	27. Takeda Ittetsu

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 26 and all you have to your name is a bakery business and an ex-boyfriend by the name of Ukai Keishin. When you join the coaches for a drink on the first night of the summer training camp, you can't help but cozy up to someone new...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for 1000+ kudos! I really don't know what to say omg but I hope I can keep on writing for y'all :)

“We’re exes,” you announced, thoroughly drunk and slumped over onto the table. Logically, you should have turned down Saeko’s request to join her on her drive to Tokyo to drop off Kageyama and Hinata. She was your only employee at your small bakery and when she asked for the day off, you gladly obliged. Without Saeko, you decided to close for the day, reasoning that you deserved a break too. 

Here you were now, 26 years old and drunk with a bunch of volleyball coaches in some bar in Tokyo, sitting next to your ex-boyfriend. 

Saeko blurted out, “Coach Ukai and you dated?!” Her cheeks were flushed and her eyes had lost focus an hour ago, her cup empty of beer. 

“Yes,” Keishin exhaled, cradling your head and resting his head next to yours on the table. You squirmed away from his touch, grimacing. 

Coach Nekomata’s hearty laughter was followed by another conversation that you didn’t bother to join because you were snuggled up in someone’s arms and your legs were splayed across Keishin’s lap.

You tipped another shot glass past your lips and shuddered. Whoever’s arms you were in was warm and inviting, so you glanced upwards and locked eyes with Takeda’s half-open ones. His glasses were low on the bridge of his nose so, with a shaking finger, you pushed up his glasses. 

“Hm?” Takeda hummed, opening his eyes fully. His eyes were unfocused but looking at you while his hand gently stroked your cheek. You leaned into his touch, having been touch-starved ever since your breakup.

The conversation of the other coaches at the table was just background noise to your ears. For what seemed like an eternity, Takeda and you were staring at each other, indulging each other in feathery light touches. 

“One more round!” The coach from Fukurodani, whose name you didn’t bother to learn, bellowed. Hands clamored to grab a new glass, some filled with sake, some with soju, and some with beer. You lifted yourself off of Takeda and grabbed two, one for you and him. You held a glass out for him and clinked glasses before with one loud cheer, the entire group the drinks down. 

Complaining about the day ahead tomorrow, the group exited the bar, leaning on each other.

Saeko was still hung up on your sudden confession, stumbling through the empty and dimly streets outside of the bar exclaiming, “Boss, I cannot believe that you and Coach Ukai were an item!” 

You rolled your eyes and steadied Saeko with your hands firmly on her shoulders. “No ring equals the end of the relationship. It’s as easy as that,” you sighed, staring blankly at your bare fingers. 

You spun on your heel and jabbed a finger at Keishin’s direction. “Where is my ring?” 

Keishin, who was occupied with a slumped Takeda against a telephone pole simply waved his middle finger at you. You marched towards him shakily and crashed into him, releasing his grip on Takeda. Takeda slid down to the ground and Keishin attempted to fend you off. 

Pleased with the look of utter horror on Keishin’s face, you backed off and planted yourself down next to Takeda, resting your head on his shoulder. 

“The two of you can find your way back by yourselves,” Keishin grumbled, stumbling off into the darkness to join the other coaches who were loudly singing off-key down the block. 

Saeko had disappeared too, leaving Takeda and you dozing off in the humid summer air, tuning into the chorus of crickets. 

“We should go back,” you mumbled, shaking Takeda by the shoulders. His eyes remained closed but he groaned, tugging you back to rest on his shoulder. He wrapped his arm around your shoulder, his fingers wrapped around your arm tightly, keeping you right by his side. 

The alcohol was definitely clouding your judgment. You were convinced that you could sleep here until the sun rose but a tiny voice in the back of your mind argued otherwise. 

Again, you stirred, and this time, you abandoned Takeda completely to crouch a few feet away from him in the middle of the street. 

“Let’s go back,” you whined, “We can sleep in actual blankets with pillows.” 

Takeda mumbled something indiscernible before reaching out for your hands. You obliged, heaving him up onto his feet. He was clutching your hand but standing up on his own, which you were grateful for. You certainly did not have the energy to drag a full-grown man ten blocks back to the summer training camp.

It took forty minutes but finally, Takeda and you were back at the training camp, looking over all the coaches who were passed out in ridiculous positions. Keishin was sleeping stretched out like a starfish, his four limbs splayed out and his foot dangerously close to kicking Saeko in her ribs. Saeko was curled up in a fetal position under the window, hugging Keishin’s pillow tight at her chest and the blankets tangled between her legs. 

The other coaches hadn’t bothered to consider Takeda and your absence, doubling up on the blankets to provide a cushier makeshift mattress for themselves. 

“You get the pillows and I’ll get the blankets,” you whispered, tiptoeing through the room and stealing the abandoned blankets that were strewn across the room. You reunited with Takeda who was clutching two pillows under each of his arms. 

The only free space was in the far corner of the room just left of the door so you organized the blankets, quite loudly, and collapsed onto the padded floor. You really had no concern over waking up everyone else since someone was snoring obnoxiously. You were pretty certain that it was Coach Nekomata but didn’t bother to investigate. 

Instead, you snuggled up to Takeda who was dozing off again next to you, wrapping one of his arms around your waist to pull yourself flush against him. The cool breeze from the open window lulled you to sleep while the alcohol pumping through your veins knocked you out for a long time. 

The coaches woke up an hour before the students had to and their rustling woke you up. Takeda was still at your side, his face buried in the crook of your neck. His slowed breathing tickled you but you didn’t mind, since you were preoccupied with the pounding headache that overrode all your other senses. 

You wrestled out from the blankets and Takeda’s limbs to stretch by the window, accidentally nudging Keishin, who had migrated to Saeko’s side. 

He groaned but you didn’t bother, basking in the sunlight before you hurried off to the bathroom to get ready for the day.

By the time you emerged all freshened up, everyone was on the morning runs. You joined Saeko at her side as she was saying her goodbyes to the coaches. 

Mortified, you approached the group, avoiding eye contact with Takeda. A part of you hoped that the alcohol had wiped all of this memory of last night but the blush on his face suggested otherwise. 

“Saeko and I have to head back today to open up the shop,” you explained to the coaches who were furiously petitioning you to stay at the camp. The incessant begging from Coach Nekomata forced you to concede a little bit. “How about on the last day of the camp, Saeko and I will drive up with some goods to share after the barbecue?” 

Finally, you were allowed to drive off with Saeko, who was bursting with laughter. “They sure love you, boss.” 

“I think they just enjoy our company at the night,” you joked, leaning back and closing your eyes to shield yourself from the sun. “Last night cannot be repeated.” 

Saeko was grinning widely at you, which you didn’t catch. “You were certainly cozying up to someone last night,” she commented with a suggestive tone. Your eyes shot open and your cheeks turned red in the blink of an eye.

“I thought everyone else would be too drunk to remember,” you whispered, mortified. “I seriously hope he doesn’t remember.” 

“Do you regret it at all?”

You stopped to consider for a moment. “I think I’m just lonely. Keishin and I broke up six months ago and I haven’t seen anyone since.” 

Saeko made a noise of disapproval. “Personally, I think Takeda-sensei is a better match for you,” she mused, “I think Keishin and you are both too... volatile. You need someone to balance you out. Opposites attract and all that.”

You sighed and stared out the window, reflecting on how juvenile you acted last night. Alcohol could be your best friend and your worst enemy when it came to your love life. You were drunk when you first hooked up with Keishin and even drunker when you broke up with him. History did not need to repeat himself again. 

Saeko dropped the subject after that and the work at the bakery kept your mind off of Takeda for a couple of days.

With two days left of the volleyball training camp, Keishin called you, begging you to come back one day earlier. “Spend the last night with us and then you can enjoy the barbecue with us hungover,” he whined. 

You gripped your phone and stared at the empty storefront. All the baked goods had been sold for the day and Saeko and you had been lounging around, baking for the boys tomorrow. 

“Fine,” you conceded. “See you in a couple of hours.” 

You motioned for Saeko to help you load up her car with the freshly made cupcakes and cookies while you closed up the store. Scribbling a note that the bakery would be closed tomorrow, you taped it onto the door and locked it up.

“Are you excited to see Takeda-sensei again?” 

Saeko startled you with her question and you blankly stared at her. Her eyes were focused on the road ahead but the wide grin on her face suggested that her attention wasn’t devoted to the road much at all. 

Fiddling with your hands, you stared ahead at the road too while you muttered, “I can’t wait to get drunk again.” 

“Alcohol will do the job for you,” Saeko winked. She was absolutely right. When you arrived at the training camp, it was dinnertime. Everyone rushed to help you unload and Saeko effortlessly joined the Karasuno boys, sitting down between Noya and her younger brother. 

You were tugged away to join the coaches, who were buzzing with excitement to go out drinking again. 

Coach Takeyuki of Fukurodani Academy placed each team captain in charge of the students before rounding up all the coaches. He led the march to the bar you were at a couple of nights ago, with Saeko’s arm linked with yours as she skipped through the quiet streets. 

Three drinks in, Keishin’s head was in your lap, looking up at you adoringly. You were still clear-headed and on your fourth drink but your hands were itching to reach out to Takeda. Your inhibitions were perfectly lowered and having Keishin in your lap certainly didn’t help. 

“We have to find you a husband!” Coach Nekomata bellowed, clinking his can of beer with your bottle of soju. 

You cringed and shook your head. “I gave up a while ago,” you joked, pointing down towards your lap to a sleeping Keishin. “Unless--” you began, but was immediately cut off by Coach Takeyuki.

“What about Takeda?” He wildly gestured to Takeda to your left and you hid your face hopelessly behind the soju bottle. 

Keishin stirred on your lap and you finally shoved him off, crudely folding a seat cushion into a makeshift pillow for his head. 

“Takeda is,” you hesitated for a moment and finally admitted, “Definitely an option.” You avoided your left as you emptied the bottle in your hand. Burying your face in your two hands, you shuddered. “You old men want to see me off, huh?” 

The thoroughly drunk coaches chimed in agreement and Saeko nodded fervently. “Boss, you’re in the latter half of your twenties! Why not meet all the men you can and settle down soon?” Saeko winked at you and her eyes darted between Takeda and you. 

To shut everyone up, you swiftly turned to your left and smashed your lips to Takeda’s. The belligerent coaches roared and cheered, insisting on another round. When you pulled away, you were blushing furiously and unable to meet his eyes. 

“Sorry for jumping on you like that,” you whispered and smiled apologetically. Calmly, you took a shot glass and downed the liquid, slamming the glass on the table when empty. 

“It’s okay,” Takeda soothed you, smiling that sympathetic smile of his that would make anyone’s heart melt. 

The coaches finally sought out sleep after two more rounds. Tonight, everyone stumbled back to the training camp together in a tangle of arms around shoulders. Careful to not wake up the volleyball players, everyone shushed each other rather loudly a block away from the buildings. 

Everyone shoved to enter the room all the adults were sleeping in, dropping like flies. No one really bothered to divide up the blankets and pillows, simply splaying out on the wooden floors. 

You chose to curl up in the corner and boldly tugged on Takeda to join you, who stumbled into your arms. “I’m sorry,” you mumbled against his ear, curling up in his arms. “I promise I’ll want you when the sun comes up too.” 

“I don’t doubt that.” 

Alcohol urged sleep to come much faster than most nights and you were out like a light, passed out even after the morning runs began. You were so tightly wound around Takeda that you made him late too. 

“Good morning,” Takeda murmured and you stirred, snuggling deeper into his arms. 

He hated to bother you so he gently moved the hair out of your face and cradled you closer to him. You looked so at peace, snoring lightly against his cheek. 

Keishin popped in and smirked at Takeda, who grinned at him. Keishin disappeared to the mess hall to eat breakfast, leaving Takeda and you alone again.

You woke up around noon, still in Takeda’s arms. 

“Shit, I’m sorry!” You blurted, realizing that at the ripe age of 26, you were drinking like a doe-eyed college student and oversleeping. 

“No, no, don’t worry! The games end at 12:30 so we’re not needed yet.” 

You scrambled to escape his arms and rushed to the bathroom. 

Hunched over the sink, you groaned, willing the contents of last night to not reappear. With the click of a latch, a door behind you swung open and Saeko emerged. 

“Afternoon, boss!” Ah, to be young and not hungover. You weakly smiled at Saeko and finished getting ready for the day. 

Before setting up for the barbecue, you had one more job to do. You sought out Takeda on the volleyball court, beckoning him outside for a second. 

“I didn’t mean to run away,” you explained. You knew Takeda would never want anything from you, but you only felt that it was right to meet him halfway. “I think we should start fresh. You and me on a date in the sun, how about that?” 

Silently, you prayed that he would accept your offer and not think of you as some loose cannon who only wanted him drunk and at night.

“That would be great.” Takeda’s smile put you at ease and you nodded vigorously as you skipped off to help Saeko set up for the barbecue.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed the latest chapter! Feel free to leave comments, kudos, and requests :) 
> 
> Also, I just uploaded a new work titled Domestic Bliss and Chaos! It's a series of a bunch of drabbles when you're in a relationship with Haikyuu characters! Feel free to check it out if you're more into tooth-rotting fluff :)
> 
> Upcoming: Goshiki, Koganegawa, Kunimi, Suna, and Kita!


	28. Goshiki Tsutomu

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You have a horrible track record with the boys you like: you confess and they reject you, leaving you to pine over them until suddenly they change their mind, giving you whiplash. Goshiki is no different but his rejection is more complicated than you think.

“Everyone, meet my cousin,” Tendou announced, stepping aside to reveal you to his teammates. You waved and nodded in acknowledgment when your eyes met Ushijima’s. “She does yoga and I think we can all use a little more zen on the volleyball court.” 

Ushijima stepped forward to kiss you on the cheek and you smiled. “Good to see you again,” he briskly said before walking off to the storage room to grab a yoga mat. 

Everyone but Goshiki followed, acknowledging you as they walked past you. “I thought you liked me,” Goshiki muttered as he passed after all the others had disappeared into the storage room, and you scoffed. 

You rolled your eyes as you stretched, ignoring some of the Shiratorizawa team gawking at you but keenly aware that Tendou was already alert to your sour mood. 

“So what’s the deal with Wakatoshi and you?” Reon questioned playfully as everyone settled down to sit on their yoga mats in front of you. 

“We’re friendly exes,” you revealed, leaning forward as if you were exposing a huge secret. You almost cackled at Goshiki’s eyes widening. How unlucky of him to know that you had already dated his idol and yet, he had the nerve to reject you a month ago. 

Boosted by Goshiki’s shock, you led the boys in some preliminary stretches, reminding them how important breathing patterns were. 

“So just how important is breathing when you, let say, are intimate with someone?” Semi teased, and the boys were roaring with laughter. 

Winking, you whispered, “Let’s just say, very important.” You enunciated the last word, eliciting another round of cackles, only infuriating Goshiki further. Serves him right. 

Within ten minutes, you had everyone groaning, with each of their cheeky grins wiped from their faces. Shirabu’s face was twisted in pain when you placed the slightest pressure on his lower back, encouraging him to flatten against the ground with his legs split. 

“You’re killing me,” Shirabu gasped, flailing around under you. You released the pressure, laughing. “Oh thank goodness,” he exhaled, sitting up to rock back and forth with his knees drawn up to his chest. 

You walked around, occasionally encouraging others to stretch just a bit more, only to elicit groans and screeches from them. After that, you didn’t bother teaching them anything more advanced, sticking to simple stretches that elementary school kids would do. These boys were athletic but absolutely stiff. 

“No offense, but you boys are hopeless at yoga,” you sighed dramatically at the end of the hour. “Meditating, on the other hand, there is some hope.” 

“I think that just means that you should come back next week,” Semi winked and blew you a kiss. Oh, it felt so good to see Goshiki nearly explore right then and there. 

“I think I will,” you quipped flirtatiously, waving to the boys who were jogging to put away their mats. Plainly, you ignored Goshiki, who looked as if he was in the middle of deciding whether to approach you or not. 

Making the decision for him, you marched up to him with a glare. “What’s with the sour face? To anyone else, it looks like I rejected you rather than the other way around.” 

Goshiki scoffed and walked away but the other boys returned to hug you goodbye. 

“Ready to go?” Tendou manifested next to you and you nodded. Noticing how quiet you were, Tendou ruffled your hair. “Goshiki looked pretty pent up today, huh?” 

“Yeah,” you muttered, kicking a small pebble in your path. “The nerve.” 

Maybe it was that same love for volleyball that you saw in Ushijima that drew you to Goshiki. The latter was flashier on and off the court, completely different from the reserved Ushijima that had loved you a year ago. No matter what it was, you did what you always did when you liked someone: Approach and confess to get some closure. Whether you were rejected or not didn’t matter, but getting the answer itself brought you some peace of mind. 

You attended Shiratorizawa but rarely attended the volleyball games, most often busy with your own part-time job as a yoga instructor at the local recreation center for babies and for the elderly. A month ago, exactly two weeks after Goshiki caught your eye, you marched up to him after a volleyball game and confessed to him on the court. 

His answer was pathetic, laughter in your face, with him claiming that volleyball was just too important compared to you. He strutted off, missing the sight of Ushijima hugging you moments after. 

“Why do you always like boys who reject you initially?” 

“Maybe it’s the challenge,” you thought out loud but shook your head. “I simply like who I like and hope that I change their mind when they get to know me better.” 

Ushijima had initially rejected you and you let him be, living your life as you did at school. However, when he did finally approach you again, he revealed that seeing you so bright and happy with your friends drew him to you. 

The same went for your crushes in elementary school and middle school. 

Tendou naturally opened the door to your house and you stepped through, zeroing in on the couch and collapsing down on it. Tendou helped himself to a can of coffee in the refrigerator and sat down on the floor against the couch. 

“Goshiki will come around, the boys you like always make their way back to you,” Tendou offered this as solace before he sipped on his coffee. 

Sighing, you threw your arm over your eyes and dozed off, exhausted from the encounter with Goshiki and the class you taught. Tendou tossed a blanket over you before leaving and locking the door behind him with the extra key he had. 

The obnoxious knocking at your door ten minutes later jolted you awake. Groaning and a bit annoyed at the rude awakening, you rolled off the couch and answered the door. 

A box of chocolates was thrust into your hands and you blinked in confusion at the quartet of boys at your door. 

“We were worried about you,” Reon explained, gesturing to the box of chocolates. 

Semi chimed in, “We heard from Tendou that you were having a rough day because of a particular someone so we just wanted to show our appreciation for you.” 

Shirabu stood there scratching his head and mumbled, “I tagged along.” 

Ushijima was behind the three boys but the concern was obvious on his face. “Should I talk to Goshiki for you?” 

“Absolutely not,” you nearly screeched, shaking your head violently. “It’s fine, I promise! Tendou is overly concerned for my well-being and Goshiki can stay an asshole and that’s just that.” 

“Well, we hope you enjoy the chocolates,” Reon smiled and you smiled back, feeling so loved by the boys who were always concerned about volleyball above anything else.

“Thank you,” you mumbled, trying not to cry at the sudden influx of adoration from the boys. “I’m going to go eat my chocolates now.” 

You waved goodbye to them and closed the door behind you, sliding down onto the floor and opening the box of chocolates. 

They were just regular convenience store chocolates but the tears were flowing and you were hiccuping before you knew it. 

You were less than a quarter through the box, still hunched against the door, when the door vibrated against your back, and knocking ensued once again. Sighing, you stood up and opened the door once again, expecting Ushijima or Tendou, but suddenly facing Goshiki. 

“Why are you here?” You asked pointedly, hugging the now-closed box of chocolates to your chest. You sniffled, giving away the fact that you were crying earlier. You added, “I was not crying about you, by the way. Semi, Reon, Ushijima, and Shirabu brought me these chocolates and I was moved.” 

“I wanted to apologize for being rude,” Goshiki shrugged, not meeting your eyes. It was clear someone put him up to this and you had an inkling that Ushijima or Tendou was involved. Or worse, both. “I shouldn’t have laughed at your confession and I recognize that there are things more important than volleyball.” 

“Thanks for the apology.” 

You started to shut the door in his face but he interrupted you by sticking his foot in the way and blurting out annoyed, “You’re just going to shut the door in my face?”

Exasperated, you opened the door slightly to nod and resume shutting the door. You were exhausted and didn’t want to deal with this today. 

You didn’t feel any better the next day thanks to the math homework that stumped you all night. Your head was resting against a stack of textbooks on your desk when someone tapped you on your shoulder. 

“Hm?” You didn’t bother to open your eyes, thinking it was just Tendou coming to tell you some gossip about this morning’s volleyball practice. 

“You look like a mess,” Goshiki commented coldly, placing a can of coffee on the corner of your desk. 

You picked up the can and stared at it with confusion. “Don’t be nice to me, Goshiki. It makes me look pathetic.” 

Goshiki’s mouth opened and closed several times before he walked off. You downed the can of coffee and resumed your position to nap at your desk. 

He refused to stop the out-of-character gestures. He brought you coffee three more times, always commenting on how tired you looked. He threw his jacket at you as he walked past your desk when he caught you shivering from the air conditioning pumping through the vents. He helped you up when you fell down after jumping through hurdles during gym class. Worst of all, he offered to walk you home four days later when you next led a meditation session for the Shiratorizawa volleyball team. 

You cornered him in the back of the storage room when everyone else had hurried back to the locker rooms to go home for the weekend. 

“Goshiki, you don’t have to do all of this. I’ll get over my feelings by myself and you focus on volleyball like you originally planned. I absolve you of your guilt, or whatever,” you waved both hands in the air and thrust them towards Goshiki as if you could actually manifest this. 

Goshiki was surprisingly quiet and staring at the doorway as if he was going to make a run for it to escape you. “I don’t want to like you.”

“Excuse me?” You crossed your arms and glared at him. You were trying so damn hard to be nice to the boy who was breaking your heart for over a month all for what? He just kept smashing it into pieces over and over again. 

Goshiki squeezed his eyes closed and let out a deep sigh. “Everyone thinks I’m trying too hard to replace Ushijima. Liking his ex-girlfriend seems too insane. Sure, I initially rejected you because of how much I thought a relationship would distract me, but knowing that Ushijima dated you made me realize that it was possible to love both someone else and volleyball.” 

When you didn’t answer, Goshiki continued, “You know how hard I practice volleyball. I won’t stop proving to you that you’re important to me too.” 

With so much to think about, you mindlessly nodded and walked out of the storage room. 

“Hey, did you listen to me?” Goshiki jogged up from behind you and tugged on your arm. You failed to respond in time, so Goshiki spun you to face him and kissed you with the same fierceness you saw on the court. 

“I heard you,” you mumbled. “I think you bit my lip.” You tapped a finger against your lips and examined your fingertips dotted with blood. 

“Sorry,” Goshiki immediately, dabbed away the blood with his finger. 

“How about taking the passion down a notch,” you joked and winked, teasing a relieved smile from Goshiki. 

“I’ll work on it, I promise.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed reading and happy (early) Thanksgiving to those who celebrate :) 
> 
> Upcoming: Koganegawa, Kunimi, Suna, and Kita! 
> 
> Thank you for all the comments, kudos, and requests!


	29. Koganegawa Kanji

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Despite being his best friend, you refuse to attend Koganegawa's volleyball matches. When you finally do, it threatens your friendship.

“Hey there!” Arms were thrown over your shoulders from behind and a sweaty body was pressed up firmly against you. Craning your head up, you drank in the sight of a panting Koganegawa, fresh off the volleyball court. You sighed as you pushed his hair out of his eyes, returning them to their spiky state as best you could. “So? Did you like the game?” 

You could have lied to him but you didn’t really care to. “Honestly?” You gave him one opportunity to back out from this but he shook his head, looking at you like an adorable puppy hanging on your word. Grimacing, you shook your head. “Not my sport. Sorry, bud,” you patted his head and turned around to face him, placing your hands on his shoulders. 

“Oh, come on! Isn’t it exhilarating to watch the rally? I mean, did you see our blocking?” Koganegawa was bouncing on his feet, his hands planted on your waist. 

“We may be best friends, but there is a damn good reason that I don’t watch sports! I almost fell asleep,” you teased. You were being truthful, partially. Koganegawa had bet $20 that you would fall in love with volleyball while watching him play. You hated the game but not because it was boring. You hated it because as you were sitting there, elevated above the court, all you could do was stare at Koganegawa. 

Liking him annoyed you because of the fact that all throughout your friendship, Koganegawa teased you that you would fall in love with him. 

“Aren’t I the best?” He would boast whenever he showed up at your house with your favorite flavor of ice cream when you were sick. Perhaps it was then that you started to like him.

Or the many times you left gym clothes at home after washing them, Koganegawa would dump his extra volleyball uniform to you so that you wouldn’t be yelled at by the gym teacher. 

Or the time that Koganegawa rode in a bus to a record store two hours away to stand in line so you could grab one of the first vinyl copies of your favorite singer’s newest release. 

Or the time that Koganegawa gave you a piggyback ride all the way home when you complained of leg cramps. 

Whatever it was, it didn't hit you that you liked him until you saw him so excited after winning one point on the volleyball court, forcing Aone to high-five him. 

You lied to protect him because you knew just how important volleyball was to him. He received an invitation to attend some training camp in a few weeks and as a starting player in his first year of high school, you didn’t want to derail his volleyball career. 

“Your loss,” Koganegawa shrugged, holding out a hand for you. You took his hand and the two of you walked home. 

Not wanting to leave his side yet, you hesitated at his door. “Can I stay over for a bit?” 

Without missing a beat, Koganegawa opened the door and stepped aside for you. “Welcome home.” 

There was a squeal and clawing at your legs was Koganegawa’s little sister, Himari. Automatically, you scooped her up in your arms and she threw her arms around your neck, grasping at the nape of your neck. 

“I’m going to take a shower!” Koganegawa announced after kissing Himari on the cheek, leaving you and Himari alone in the entryway. 

“I missed you!” Himari pouted, snuggling up in your arms. At the age of six, she was a feisty and energetic kid who had a no-nonsense attitude. What she wanted, she got, and she had her entire family and you wrapped around her pinky. You didn’t mind at all. 

“Sorry, it’s been so long! I missed you too,” you pinched her chubby cheek and carried her into the living room, settling down on the couch with her on your lap. 

Automatically, she turned her back towards you and yanked her hair out of her ponytail. Throwing her head back, her big eyes blinked rapidly in an attempt to soften your heart. 

“Would you like me to braid your hair?” 

Himari shouted, “Yes please!” You heard a dull thud and hoped that Koganegawa didn’t slip in the shower or something. 

Your older brother was a hairstylist and while you were in middle school, he was busy in beauty school, harboring seven mannequin heads in his room which you occasionally stole to imitate the hairstyles he was practicing. 

“What type of braid would you like today, princess?” You asked as you brushed through her hair with your fingers. Himari was bouncing on your lap, making it a bit difficult but by dropping her onto the couch between your thighs, you could trap the ball of energy that was Koganegawa’s little sister. 

Humming, she contemplated the various styles in her head before turning to you with a toothy grin and giggling, “Fishtail braid please, so I can play mermaids later!” 

“Alrighty but you have to sit still for me, okay?” Himari leaned forward to grab the TV remote and clicked the TV on, training her eyes on the screen so she would be less attempted to move around between your legs. 

With Himari cooperating, you finished the braid long before Koganegawa emerged from his room with damp hair. 

“Kanji! Look!” Himari twirled in front of Koganegawa, showing off her hair and throwing the braid over her shoulder. 

“Wow! You look gorgeous, Himari!” Koganegawa lifted her up and tossed her in the air, catching her and throwing her over and over again, eliciting squeals and giggles. “Did you say thank you?” Koganegawa held Himari in his arms and looked at you. 

Himari blew a kiss and sang, “Thank you!” 

You reciprocated Himari’s kiss and glanced at the door. Koganegawa caught your glance and immediately blurted, “Stay for dinner. It’s been a while.” 

“Yeah, stay!” Himari demanded as she squirmed in Koganegawa’s arms to be put down. As soon as her feet touched the ground, Himari was gone in a flash to plant herself on the couch in front of the TV.

Koganegawa began walking towards his room and you followed after double-checking on Himari to see that she was engrossed in a cartoon show. 

“I still can’t believe you don't like volleyball,” Koganegawa shook his head in disbelief, feigning a disappointed look. With downturned eyes, he batted his eyelashes at you. “This is unacceptable.” 

You drew in a sharp breath and pointed to the edge of the bed. “You sit and I’m going to face the door and talk to you.” 

“Huh?” Koganegawa complied but questioned you. “Why won’t you look at me,” he whined, tugging on your arm as you turned away from him.

“Okay,” you whispered, gathering the last bout of courage to share your recent revelation. Wringing your hands, you fixed your eyes on Koganegawa’s doorknob. “I’m going to be selfish,” you warned before continuing. “I don’t like volleyball because it makes me feel less important to you. I think you’re such a rising player and everyone expects so much from you now but it hurts me because I’m pretty convinced that I like you. I saw you on that court today and I regretted not going to your games earlier because of how incredible you looked.” You were rambling. Your words came to a sudden stop and you exhaled deeply, feeling tears stinging the corner of your eyes. 

Barely above a whisper, you repeated, “I like you, you idiot.” You were trembling and furiously blinking, forcing the tears down onto your cheeks while your eyes remained on the doorknob. 

You didn’t want to see Koganegawa’s face because you knew just how readable he was. That was one of the things you liked about him. Everything was so black and white to him and nothing was complicated. While your anxious brain overcomplicated every single detail of your life, scrutinized every look, frown, and rise of an eyebrow, Koganegawa had no filter and said it like it was. 

You liked him because to you, he was someone you wanted to become. 

This was the longest period of silence you ever had with Koganegawa. Bracing yourself, you mumbled, “I’m going to go now.” 

Your hand was on the doorknob and you walked out, making sure to wave goodbye to Himari as you passed by the living room. 

“Sorry but I have to go, Himari. I promise,” you hesitated for a moment, “to come back soon.” Would you though? You didn’t know but didn't want to make Himari feel as if you were abandoning her. 

Briefly tearing away from the screen, Himari pouted as she waved goodbye. 

You slipped out of the front door and felt like all the energy was draining out of you and dissipating into the air. It was a sudden urge that launched the confession to Koganegawa and with the unresolved state of things between the two of you now, you were beating yourself up over it.

There was no justification needed to your parents when you arrived home and announced that you wouldn’t be going to school tomorrow. You disappeared into the bathroom and stood under the showerhead for a good fifteen minutes, mixing the tears and water together until your breathing was ragged. 

After the shower, you didn’t emerge from your room, ignoring your parents’ attempts to feed you something at least.

Your father offered to buy you your favorite food but was met with silence. After a while, they just let you be. 

Lying in bed and staring up at the ceiling, you were overwhelmed by all the memories you shared with Koganegawa, fearing that no new ones would ever be made again. 

In elementary school, on a field trip to a greenhouse, you dangled a worm in front of Koganegawa’s face and danced around him. When you accidentally slipped on some vinyl wrapping discarded on the floor, you lost the worm in your hand and sobbed. Koganegawa helped you create an impromptu funeral for the worm by making a small dirt hill near some herbal plants. 

“At least it smells nice in here!” He tried to lift your spirits. When it didn’t work, he stuck his chubby fingers on your cheeks and forced you to smile. 

When Koganegawa broke his arm a few years later, you proudly became his hand, going over to his house daily to do homework together and sticking by his side for the three months that his arm was in a cast. 

When Koganegawa began to play volleyball, you silently protested by refusing to attend his matches, claiming that watching sports was too boring for you and that your time could be better spent. 

Who was going to win the $20 from the bet? You didn’t fall in love with volleyball so maybe you were the rightful winner. But it felt like you lost right now. 

It took hours for your brain to catastrophize your future with Koganegawa, finally exhausting you. You slept fitfully, tossing and turning and discarding one of your pillows on the floor overnight. 

Throughout the day you took off from school and you moped on the couch, wrapping yourself in a blanket and finally eating a few bites from the leftovers your parents had left you. You were 5 hours into a binge-watching session for your favorite show when your front door sounded like it was being knocked down. 

Throwing off your blanket, you shuffled to the door, still in pajamas and dark circles prominent under your eyes. 

“You look terrible,” Koganegawa blurted as soon as he saw you in the doorway. He had something in his hands and pushed his way into your house, continuing to talk. You followed him in mindlessly. “I was worried you weren’t at school and wow, you really should not have been at school today like this.” 

Was he going to act like nothing had changed between you two? Did your words to him mean nothing? 

Koganegawa sat down on the couch after folding up your blanket neatly and tore open the plastic bag he had brought. 

Katsudon. It was his favorite and one of yours too. Setting up a makeshift dinner table on the low coffee table in front of the couch, Koganegawa motioned for you to sit. Do you sit across from him or next to him? Or do you sit at either of the side edges? Your brain was beginning to hurt from trying to calculate your every move. 

He yanked down two pillows from the couch and propped it against the couch and you sunk down on the floor. He was still on the couch but moments later, he joined you. 

He handed you a pair of chopsticks and a to-go container for some miso soup. You drank from it greedily, enjoying the saltiness of the broth. 

Koganegawa watched you contently and scooped some rice from the bowl. To your shock, his spoon was in your mouth and he grinned as you chewed. 

You nearly choked when another spoon appeared at your lips just after you swallowed. 

“This whole thing is for you. Your mom texted me asking if something was wrong, telling me that she was worried you hadn’t eaten last night.” Another spoonful. “So here I am, making sure you’re eating.” 

Oh, the tears were coming on now. You tilted your head up to try and suck the tears back into your eyes but it was too late. As you laboriously chewed your food, tears were streaming down your cheeks and you were thankful that your vision blurred. 

Koganegawa dabbed away the tears with a napkin quietly. 

“I can’t promise that you’ll always be first because I’m important to me too, but I will try my damn hardest to remind you every day how important you are to me,” Koganegawa promised, holding your face in his hand. His thumb grazed your cheek and he adjusted your face so that you had to look at him now. 

“Okay,” you croaked in between hiccups. 

“Okay?” Koganegawa reiterated. 

You nodded. 

“Want a kiss? Or a hug? Or both?” 

Wordlessly, you climbed into his lap and fisted his shirt in your hands, clinging onto him. He patted your back rhythmically until your breathing steadied and kissed your forehead. 

“Volleyball may be important but it sure isn’t worth losing you over,” Koganegawa reassured you in a soft voice. All the playfulness within him was gone and you finally were still. "Plus, Himari would kill me if she found out that we weren't getting together." 

Trembling, you cupped his face in your hands and leaned up to kiss him on the lips. Koganegawa was grinning when you broke apart. “I think I won $20, don’t you?” 

“I still hate volleyball,” you muttered into his chest. “I think you owe me $20.” 

Koganegawa scoffed and launched into a speech about how the bet was flawed when it was made. 

You weren’t even listening to him, just enamored by him and thankful that you had Koganegawa in your life still.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading! As always, comments, kudos, and suggestions are welcome :) Warning that my final exams are approaching and I might not be able to update this work as often as I would like! I apologize and please bear with me :)
> 
> Upcoming: Kunimi, Suna, and Kita


	30. Kunimi Akira

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> How on earth are you supposed to admit to Kageyama that you were dating one of the people who temporarily ruined volleyball for him?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back! I have two more days until this semester is finally over and managed to crank this chapter out in between 15 pages of final essays so I hope you enjoy :)
> 
> Thank you so much for 1300+ kudos holy crap!

“So are you coming to my game?” Kageyama demanded over the phone, your eyes rolling immediately in reaction. 

“Yes, I’ll be there,” you lazily responded, twirling a pencil between your fingers. You shifted on the mattress and laid on your side, resting your phone precariously on your ear without your hands. 

“Okay, good. Hinata will be there too.” 

“It’s the Schweiden Adlers vs. the Black Jackals game, I know,” you whined. Kageyama was anxious facing off Hinata for the first time since middle school and wanted your support off the court. “I’m taking Friday off work to attend your match so I want compensation,” you joked and Kageyama scoffed. 

“You’re my twin!”

“You’re my twin,” you repeated in a mocking tone, bursting into laughter at a low-pitched whine from Kageyama. You hadn’t seen him in months and teasing him over the phone made you miss him even more. 

Kageyama continued to whine, emphasizing how important this particular match was to him. You passively listened to his words while poking the body at the foot of the bed with your toes. A hand shot out to swipe your legs away but you giggled and persisted. 

“Stop laughing.” You could hear Kageyama pouting, genuinely bothered by your nonchalance. 

You stopped fooling around and sat up, earning a curious look from the man at the edge of your bed. “Sorry, Kags, but I promise I’ll be there this weekend. I can’t wait to see you play.” 

“Okay,” Kageyama mumbled. “See you in three days.”

“Alright.” You ended the call and tossed it to your side. Leaning back against the headboard of your bed you bit your lip and announced, “We’re in trouble, Kunimi.” 

Kunimi lazily rolled over to face you and scanned the worry etched on your forehead. “Kageyama?” 

“Yes,” you sighed dramatically, flopping over onto your stomach and burying your head under your pillow. Muffled, you explained, “He still doesn’t know that we’re dating and I’m not sure how he’ll react. You’re going to the game too, with Kindaichi, Mattsun, and Makki, aren’t you?” 

Kunimi crawled up and spooned you, using his arms to bring you flush against his chest. His hand snuck in under your pillow and gingerly revealed your face, turning you to face him. 

“We have to tell people eventually,” you mumbled into Kunimi’s shoulder, wrapping your arms and legs tightly around him. 

“I mean, yeah. But are you that stressed over people finding out about us?” Kunimi tried to hide the hurt in his voice but you caught it easily. 

“It’s just Kageyama,” you tried to explain but it felt useless. Instead, you just laid there in Kunimi’s arms, breathing evenly. 

You knew the exact reason why you were hesitant to introduce Kunimi to Kageyama but felt awkward bringing it up. 

It all started in the last year at Kitagawa Daiichi when Kageyama’s intensity on the volleyball court effectively isolated him from the remainder of the team. Afterwards, Kageyama had split from Kunimi and Kindaichi, who ended up at Aoba Johsai much to Kageyama’s chagrin. Although Kageyama thoroughly enjoyed his time at Karasuno with Hinata by his side, the various encounters he had with his old teammate on the court at regional competitions irritated Kageyama, keeping the memories of his years at Kitagawa Daiichi too relevant. 

You had met Kunimi back at Kitagawa Daiichi too but hadn’t interacted with him at all after the incident with Kageyama. Honestly, when you saw Kunimi moving into the room across the hall from you on your first day of university, you slammed the door shut and hid for hours. 

It was an unfortunate turn of events but he was unavoidable, especially when your friends drunkenly knocked on his door one Saturday night looking for you. He had kindly directed them to your door and quietly asked you to ensure that this mistake wasn’t repeated again. 

Then, when you were drunk the following week, you were fumbling with your keys, frustrated at the door that refused to open. To your surprise, the door opened, and with your brain completely muddled by the alcohol, you waltzed right in, side-stepping Kunimi and collapsing in his bed. 

You woke the next morning in agony, a headache overriding all of your senses so much so that you rolled off the bed. 

“I’m so sorry,” you mumbled at the groaning body under you, making another half roll to fall off of Kunimi. “I appreciate you not kicking me out, thank you.” 

Sighing, Kunimi stood up and stretched, silently nodding. You thought that he hated you and slipped out of the room barefoot, clutching your shoes at your chest. 

Your moment of redemption came when the night before a midterm, Kunimi knocked on your door. Sullen, he uttered, “Can you help me study? I don’t understand this at all.” 

You stepped aside to welcome him in, revealing to him the spray of notes and papers scattered all over your bed. Kunimi pulled up the little step stool and sat down at your desk, listening intently while you spent four hours reviewing every single lecture since the beginning of the semester. 

By the end of the night, Kunimi rested his head against your arm, exhausted but confident on the material. “Thanks,” he offered, glancing up at you. 

“Glad to help,” you shrugged, closing your laptop and clearing your desk to wind down for the night. Kunimi sat up and stretched his arms, yawning. 

“Walk to class with me tomorrow?” You were surprised at the offer but accepted happily. 

Both of you ended up barely passing the midterm and the class itself, but the countless nights of slaving over the material culminated into one fateful night. 

It was the night of your final exam and as Kunimi and you walked back to the dorm completely drained. 

“I think I left half the exam empty,” you lamented, stomping your feet in frustration. “I cannot believe he wrote such convoluted questions! Does he want us to fail?” 

“At least I got to study with you,” Kunimi said, barely above a whisper. You stopped in your tracks and stared at his back, just a few feet away from you. 

At that moment, your brain was flooded with the memories of Kageyama hiding in his room for days after being benched during his final match at Kitagawa Daiichi. Simultaneously, you couldn’t ignore how much you enjoyed spending time with Kunimi for the past few months. 

Was Kageyama’s pain yours to bear too? Would it be betraying your own twin if you accepted Kunimi’s feelings? 

“I did too,” you finally choked out, catching up to him and slipping your hand into his. After that day, your friendship, which blossomed into a relationship, became your dirty little secret. With Kageyama traveling extensively as a player for the Schweiden Adlers and the Japanese National Team. There were many close calls.

Like the time Kageyama was in Rio and FaceTimed you, anxious before his first match, you were cuddling with Kunimi in his dorm room. You nearly kicked him out of his own room but ultimately, he simply shifted to the edge of the bed, stuck there for the next forty minutes while you talked down Kageyama from a panic attack. 

Or the time Kunimi and you were on a date and you passed Hinata on the street. You wrenched your hand out of Kunimi’s and sped up, placing distance between the two of you so that when Hinata did turn around to come say hello, Kunimi was an entire block away. 

Or the time Kunimi had Kindaichi over in his dorm room and you banged on his door, desperate to get in bed with him after coming home from a party. Kunimi slipped out quickly and ushered you back to your room, tucking you in bed and kissing you on the forehead before darting out of your room, promising to check in on you tomorrow. 

All this time, it was implicitly implied that both of you wanted to keep your relationship private. No one needed to know about your private lives, the two of you agreed, but whenever it came time to go home for the holidays back to Miyagi, it pained you to not spend it with Kunimi at all. 

Neither of you was willing to bring it up until today. At the Schweiden Adlers vs. the Black Jackals game, it would be inevitable that you would run into him and his old teammates. You were planning to attend the game with Yachi, Yamaguchi, and Tsukishima and there was no doubt in your mind that Yachi would recognize the Seijoh boys in attendance and demand to say hello for old times sake. 

“Kunimi,” you poked his cheek to gain his attention, which was currently on his phone. 

“Hm?” He placed his phone on the nightstand and guided you to lay on top of him. You leaned down to cup his face and kissed him passionately, hoping to communicate to him just how much you loved him. 

“I love you,” you simply confessed and coaxed a soft smile from him. You brushed away his hair and stared at him adoringly, relishing this moment. “I’m really proud to be your girlfriend too,” you swore, dipping down to kiss him again. 

Kunimi nodded and placed his hand on the back of the neck to bring you back down to his lips. He kept his hand on your neck, holding you close to him. You had three days to mentally prepare yourself to reveal your relationship. It wasn’t long but it would have to be enough. 

Your studies occupied most of your attention for the next three days, with you only seeing Kunimi at the library, in class, and at night when the two of you slept together. Thankfully, neither of you had classes on Fridays and so, you lazily woke up just before noon wrapped around Kunimi’s body. 

“We need to be on the bus in an hour,” Kunimi announced, giving you a chaste kiss on the cheek before pushing you off and standing up. You groaned and shot your hand out in an attempt to lure him back into bed, but Kunimi was long gone, the door shutting behind him. 

It didn’t take long for the two of you to get ready and hop on the bus. Sitting side by side, you nervously fidgeted with Kunimi’s fingers. 

“I wish you’d brought a jacket,” Kunimi fretted, furiously rubbing between your shoulder blades in a desperate attempt to generate warmth. 

You were proudly clad in Kageyama’s jersey and your arms were bare. Taking this opportunity, you snuggled into Kunimi’s arms, squeezing into his jacket. He whined softly at your intrusion but kissed you on the tip of the nose. 

“So,” you drew out the word hesitantly, “Do you want to sit with me? I asked Kageyama for an extra seat in the friends and family section courtside.” 

You didn’t realize but you found yourself holding your breath in anticipation of Kunimi’s answer. Maybe he wanted to spend the time with his old teammates. Maybe he felt like you were being overly showy to compensate for hiding your relationship. All these thoughts swirled in your mind and you almost missed Kunimi’s answer. 

“I promised to sit with Kindaichi and the others,” Kunimi replied emotionlessly and you nodded vigorously in response. 

“That’s okay, I understand. I’ll see you after the game. Or not, if you have plans with them. I mean, I’ll just see you back at school.” The words tumbled out of your lips and as soon as the bus screeched to a halt, you scurried out of your seat, nearly tripping over Kunimi’s legs, but managing to make it out of the bus in one piece. 

You followed Kageyama’s explicit instructions into the stadium and found Yachi, Yamaguchi, and Tsukishima milling around by the doors. 

Yachi and Yamaguchi waved wildly and Tsukishima gave you a curt nod of acknowledgment. As you neared them, however, the smile on their faces (and Tsukishima’s smirk) faded into confusion. 

Yachi rushed towards you and enveloped you into a hug. “What’s wrong?” 

“Huh?” You stepped back, now also confused. 

“You’re crying,” Yamaguchi quipped, wiping away the tears that had been rolling down your cheeks stealthily. 

“Oh,” you mumbled, “It was just the wind.” You rushed to wipe away the last few tears escaping and sniffled. “I’ll meet you guys at the seats, I’m going to see Kageyama in the locker room.” 

You didn’t wait for their response and practically ran away, ducking around a corner to take a deep breath. 

“Kageyama’s twin,” an amused voice caught your attention and with a sniffle, you turned towards the direction of the voice. It was Kindaichi. 

“Yeah, that’s me. It’s good to see you, Kindaichi,” you patted his arm as you passed by him, shooting him an apologetic look. “Kageyama is waiting for me so... enjoy the game.” 

Before you could run into anyone else, you sought refuge him the locker room, completely numb to the hoard of shirtless men surrounding you suddenly. 

“Hey!” Kageyama threw his arms around you and you immediately sighed contently, squeezing him in return. “You made it. I thought you might try and avoid it at the last minute,” Kageyama taunted and you mustered up a smile. 

It didn’t fool Kageyama. Before he could even ask what was wrong, you shook your head and flashed a brighter smile. “I’m just a bit tired,” you lied and ruffled his hair, standing on your toes to barely graze the top of his head. 

“Want to get dinner after the game?” Kageyama offered and you nodded. “Alright, meet me here okay?” 

“Good luck!” You waved to the team and found your rightful place in between Tsukishima and Yachi just next to the sidelines. 

The match began and even though you found yourself scanning the crowd for Kunimi several times, you stopped yourself before you could actually locate him. 

It was a tight match but the Black Jackals ended up winning and Hinata rushed over with Kageyama in tow to say hello. 

For a moment, surrounded by your friends and Kageyama, you forgot about Kunimi. Even though Kageyama lost, he was still energized by having you at his side. He had his arm wrapped around your shoulders and you leaned your head on him, silently promising yourself to attend more of his matches when you could. 

“We’re going to dinner if you want to join us,” Kageyama announced and everyone happily chimed in that they would love to catch up for once. Hinata invited his teammates too and soon, Kageyama’s teammates joined as well. 

You were busy scrolling through the photos you had taken throughout the day on your phone to notice Ushijima manifesting in front of you. 

“Oh, hey!” You stuffed your phone into your pocket and gave Ushijima a hug. 

“Hello,” Ushijima pet your head and you smiled. “Kageyama is almost done showering but he wanted me to tell you that he was going to be just a few more minutes.” 

“Thanks.” 

You stiffened at Ushijima’s side when you heard the familiar voices of your boyfriend and Kindaichi echoing down the hallway. “Can I wait inside?” You whispered, pushing on the door to the locker room. 

Before Ushijima could stop you, you burst into the room and immediately squeezed your eyes shut, blindly being led back out into the hall by Ushijima’s strong hands. 

“They’re all naked to some degree,” Ushijima chuckled and you let out a long sigh. “Oh, hello.” 

Looking up from your feet, you saw Ushijima shaking hands with Kunimi, Kindaichi, Mattsun, and Makki. All four Seijoh boys were more concerned with your flustered state. 

“Hi,” you mumbled, also making it down the line of boys and giving them hugs. You hesitated slightly before you hugged Kunimi last, not wanting to awkwardly leave him out of the hugs but also still reeling from your dramatic outburst on the bus earlier. 

“We’re going to dinner if you would like to join. Everyone is attending,” Ushijima offered and the boys shared looks before nodding. 

Oh, great. The tension was mounting higher and higher now but the crowd of everyone heading to dinner swept you up in the chaos. Kageyama returned rightfully to his place by your side and unceremoniously draped his jacket over your shoulders. 

Everyone was excitedly catching up, chatting about their lives, and soon, you drifted to the back of the group to distance yourself from all the happy chaos. You could spot Kindaichi pushing Bokuto jokingly and assumed that Kunimi would be right by his side. 

“Hey.” 

“Hi.” 

As if nothing had occurred within the last few hours, Kunimi laced his fingers through yours and pocketed your joined hands in his coat. 

“Sorry I overreacted,” you finally spoke, sneaking a look at his face. “I really wanted to sit with you and I wasn’t trying to overcompensate for the past or anything. I just thought that it would be nice to watch the game with you and that it would be easier to introduce you to Kageyama if he saw us together.” 

“I think we’re caught,” Kunimi whispered, squeezing your hand in his pocket. You looked up ahead at the mass of Kageyama and your friends staring at Kunimi and you. 

“The gig’s up,” you shrugged and stood up on your toes to place a gentle kiss on Kunimi’s cheek. The crowd erupted in with hollers and Kageyama offered a thumbs up in your direction. You knew that he would want all the details later but for now, you were overjoyed at his approval. 

The past was in the past between Kageyama and Kunimi and now, Kunimi was sure to be in your future for good.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy holidays and thanks for reading! As always, comments, kudos, and suggestions are welcome :)
> 
> Upcoming: Suna, Kita, and Yamamoto!   
> My goal is to get the remaining three requests out before Christmas!


	31. Suna Rintarou

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What's up with Suna? One little action throws you in for a loop and the struggle of navigating a friendship evolving into a romantic relationship is a road paved with miscommunication.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> FALL SEMESTER IS OVER!!!! Hopefully, I can pump out all the requests before Christmas :)

“Leaving already?” Osamu pouted, slinging his arm around your shoulder in an attempt to keep you seated next to him. 

Groaning and flicking his wrist, you wrestled free from him and nodded. “Some of us aren’t business owners for professional volleyball players,” you teased. You stood up to stretch and huffed slightly as the alcohol finally hit you, even though you had limited yourself to one. Well, one entire bottle of soju. That would certainly bite you in the ass tomorrow morning. 

“Aw, come on! Stay just a bit longer,” Atsumu whined, shaking a bottle of soju in your direction. You firmly shook your head and tugged on your jacket. 

“I have the opening shift at the coffee shop,” you lamented and no one could argue with that. It was nearly two in the morning and in less than two hours, you were expected to open up for work. 

“Want me to walk you home?” Kita shifted in his seat, ready to grab his jacket if you accepted. 

Not wanting to cut anyone else’s night short, you rejected the offer. “Stay here,” you warned, “All of you. It’s been a while since we’ve all gotten together and you deserve to let loose for once.” 

The former volleyball players from Inarizaki all grumbled but with one piercing glare from you, no one uttered another word. 

“See you next month!” The boys chimed and you threw them one last smile and waved them goodbye. 

Ever since graduation, the Inarizaki volleyball club and you, as their former manager, strived to meet up once a month for dinner. Most times, someone was missing, too busy with work or traveling, but today was the first time in seven months that everyone could attend. 

It was wonderful to see all your boys, who were leading actual adult lives with their high-paying jobs in whatever field they were working in, volleyball or not. You, on the other hand, always felt inadequate, being 21 and with no career direction whatsoever. You worked as many hours as you could at the neighborhood coffee shop and rented a one-room rooftop apartment three blocks from the shop. When you weren’t pulling espresso shots, you nannied the two kids who lived in the house below to cover other expenses. 

You shivered in the night air and pulled your jacket tighter to your chest, determined to walk the ten blocks home to save money. 

Small stones made you stumble every so often but you slapped your face twice to wake yourself up. You had to make it home soon or you would have no time left for a decent nap. 

Back at the restaurant, not long after you left, Suna silently put on his coat and stood up, waving goodbye and jogging out of the doors. 

“What’s his deal?” Osamu questioned, picking at the leftover meat on the grill. 

“Clueless,” Aran muttered under his breath. 

“Hey! Just tell me!” 

Aran closed his eyes and shook his head. “If you don’t see it, I can’t make you see it,” he wisely stated, offering no other clues. 

It took Suna less than two minutes to catch up to you. To not scare you, he called out your name once and you stopped in your tracks to turn and peer at his approaching form. 

Without the streetlights, he had to be less than a few feet away for you to even identify him. 

Your teeth were clattering at this point but you managed to mumble, “Did I forget to pay or something?” 

“No.” 

“Oh,” you whispered, sniffling and digging your hands deeper into your pockets. The wind picked up and the icy gust smacked against your skin, making you groan. You started walking again, assuming that Suna was just going home in the same direction. 

Two blocks later, you realized that Suna’s hotel was twenty minutes from the restaurant. “Why are you walking? You live halfway across town.” 

“It’s late,” was all Suna said, continuing to walk silently beside you all the way home. It wasn’t really like him to walk you home, in your opinion. All this considered, Suna really didn’t pay any special attention to you. More often, it was the Miya twins explicitly taking care of you while Kita and Aran surprised you randomly with their acts of kindness. 

In the chilly night, you remembered when the school’s heating system broke in the middle of winter and how for the entire week, each of the four boys bundled you up in the extra coats they had remembered to bring, just for you. 

There were other moments too, like when you got wasted a year ago on a trainwreck of a date and called Kita to rescue you. He had hauled the Miya twins in tow and shoved you in a taxi with them while he stayed behind to make sure that the creep didn’t follow you home. 

Just as you went above and beyond for them, being their emotional support system throughout all of high school, the four boys did so too, becoming the older brothers you never had. 

On the other hand, you couldn’t remember a single instance that Suna had ever shown any sort of affection towards you. Maybe that one time he lent you the math textbook when the twins had “accidentally” spilled all the drinks at their dinner table while fighting counted? 

You had come to accept that Suna just wasn’t an overtly emotional person towards anyone. That’s why tonight was so extraordinary to you. 

Emboldened by the alcohol, you teased, “What’s up with you today, Rin? You like me or something?” 

You started poking his arm and circled around him as he stood still in front of the gates to the house which you lived on top of. 

“No,” he deadpanned and you froze. The wind suddenly became colder and a few seconds later, you fumbled in your pockets for your keys and rushed in through the creaking gates and up the three flights of stairs to the safety of your rooftop room without exchanging any more words with Suna.

Wiping away the tears that were falling, you tried to convince yourself that the wind was stinging your eyes, making you cry. The hiccuped breaths you were taking didn’t help your futile attempts. 

It was the alcohol, you determined. Grabbing the extra blanket folded neatly on the floor by the foot of your bed, you dragged a floor seat cushion and folded it in half to make a makeshift pillow to fall asleep as soon as possible. 

The tears wouldn’t stop and only an hour later were you able to fall asleep. 

For the entire month following that night, you mulled over the meaning of your tears. Why did Suna’s rejection hurt that night? His disinterest in you had never bothered you before, so what had changed? 

It took three phone calls with Aran to finally understand what had exactly occurred that night. 

“It was the anticipation of it all,” Aran mused through the phone speaker. 

You were lying on the couch of the downstairs house, waiting for the parents of the children to return from work. You sat at their kitchen counter, drumming a pen against the granite countertop with a notepad full of doodles. 

“You think because Suna decided to walk me home all of a sudden, I was hoping that he liked me?” You were incredulous at Aran’s epiphany but knew better than to doubt his wisdom. 

“Exactly!” 

You paused and tilted your head, thinking that you heard movement from the kids’ rooms. A few seconds later, you asked Aran, “So you think I like Suna?” 

“I think you’ll know when you see him again.” 

The monthly reunion was two days away and although you were available, pretty much like every month, Suna still hadn’t confirmed his attendance. 

“If he shows up,” you sighed, chewing on your lip. Hearing the front door open, you quickly whispered, “I’ll see you soon, Aran, thanks so much.” 

Suna didn’t show that month, citing that he had an all-day team practice after a devastating loss to Atsumu’s MSBY Black Jackals. 

He didn’t show the following month either and you were convinced that Suna was avoiding you. Although Aran tried to reason otherwise, you couldn’t convince yourself. 

“He thinks I’m delusional for thinking that he likes me,” you huffed. Resting your head on Aran’s lap on the floor of your apartment, you sobbed. “I hate this.” 

Aran calmly wiped away your tears and massaged your temples. “He’ll come,” Aran repeated a few times like a mantra, lulling you to sleep. 

Suna missed a total of three monthly reunions. The only reason he finally appeared was that he was seriously injured at the final match of the season and the reunion dinner consisted of to-go meals from various restaurants in Suna’s hospital room. 

“I can’t,” you urgently whispered to Atsumu, resisting walking in. 

“You made it all the way here, get your ass in there!” Aran opened the door and the twins shoved you into the room, forcing you to face Suna for the first time in nearly four months. 

Suna was preoccupied speaking to the nurse, who smiled kindly as she left the room despite the chaos of four people barging in. 

The others were running late, forcing you to be more visible in the small group.

“We’re here,” Atsumu announced with a flourish, immediately setting out to unpack the food that Suna requested.

“I saw your injury happening... yikes,” Osamu shuddered with his eyes squeezed closed. 

You saw it on TV too, while you were nannying. Suna had torn his ACL during the last set and was rushed to the hospital hours earlier. You had to shut the TV off quickly so as to not scare the kids, but your horrified gasp had the kids scrambling onto your lap for hugs. 

Quietly, you sat down in the chair that Aran pulled up for you, near the foot of the bed. The twins had already taken up residence at Suna’s sides, poking and prodding his face and questioning him if he could feel it. 

“The drugs aren’t that strong,” Suna gritted through his teeth. He flicked their foreheads simultaneously and welcomed Aran and you. 

The others slowly arrived one by one and the dinner was in full swing, filling the room with laughter and chatter. 

A couple of times, Aran shot you a worried look and you mustered up a smile to reassure him. 

Towards the end of the night, Kita asked if you wanted to share a cab home, to which you gladly agreed. This, however, meant that you couldn’t leave until Kita did, and tonight, concerned about Suna, Kita and you were the last ones left in the hospital room.

“Call me if you need anything, okay? I packed some clothes for you to change into.” Kita glanced between Suna and you then mumbled, “I’ll be waiting outside.” 

He rushed off and your feet were glued to the floor, at the foot of the hospital bed. 

“It was a joke.” 

Your eyes shifted from the floor to Suna’s face, which was apologetic. 

“I meant to say it jokingly but my answer really sounded so serious. You left before I could take it back. Then, I really was too busy to come to these and I just thought that it would be best for me to tell you all of this in person instead.” The words rushed out of Suna’s mouth but all that filled your ears was the sound of your own heart beating rapidly. Your ears were growing hot and as always when you were nervous, you were chewing on your bottom lip.

“You meant it as a joke,” you slowly repeated, as if it would help you process all of this new information. “So then, if no was a joke, does that mean yes, you do like me?” 

Suna said nothing, which only agitated you.

“What changed?” You exhaled sharply, taking a few steps back towards the door. “I don’t think either of us is ready for this conversation so I suggest you sleep on it.” With that, you left the room and briskly walked past Kita, knowing that he would follow you. 

The morning rush was over and your coworker handed you your favorite drink as the two of you finally had a moment to breathe. 

“Your phone’s going crazy,” she mused and you jerked your head up from the mug. 

Rushing to the back room, you sifted through your bag and snatched your phone.

There were six missed calls, three from Suna, two from Aran, and one from Kita. 

All had left multiple text messages asking you to call Suna as soon as you could. 

As always, you catastrophized, thinking that someone was dying somewhere. Your fingers were trembling as the phone rang and you ducked your head out into the shop, motioning to your coworker that you needed to take a call.

“Hello?” You sounded frantic but you couldn’t help it. What if Suna’s surgery had gone wrong somehow? Was someone else at the hospital? All the thoughts swirled in your mind and you almost didn’t catch Suna’s greeting on the other end. 

“Calm down, everything is fine.” Suna’s soft voice drifted into your ears and you managed to slow your breathing. “Can you come to the hospital later? I really... want to see you.” 

Stunned, you mumbled, “Sure. Are you okay?”

“I’m fine. I just,” you heard him take a sharp breath. “I want you here.” 

“Okay,” you managed to respond somehow and ended the call abruptly to call your manager and ask for the remainder of the day off. Citing a family emergency to your coffee shop boss and the parents of the kids you nannied, you cleared your schedule for the entire day and rushed to the hospital. 

You tried to wrangle an answer out of Kita and Aran but neither responded to your text asking why Suna needed you. 

Suna was sleeping when you entered the room. The nurse whispered that Suna’s surgery was delayed until tonight due to other emergency surgery being scheduled last minute.

You thanked her and settled down in the chair by Suna’s head, dozing off yourself. 

A hand caressing the nape of your neck woke you up. 

“Hi,” you breathed out, straightening up. 

“Thank you for coming. I couldn’t sleep last night.” Suna reached out to you and you took his hand, inching closer to the bed. “I keep overthinking,” Suna admitted. “I suppose it’s just best to say everything?” Suna looked at you for approval. 

“That would be nice.” Answers were all you wanted after months of pure confusion and pestering Aran for advice. 

“I started liking you about a year ago, I think. It sounds so trivial but during warm-ups on the court, I heard your laughter so clearly and at that moment, I turned and all I could see was you, smiling so brightly up at Atsumu. It was like you were radiating happiness and all I wanted was to bask in that happiness by you. Call it love at first sight or whatever but after all this time of you being “one of the bros” or whatever Osamu calls it, I didn’t think you’d ever see me in a different light.” 

Your breath hitched as Suna reached out to hold your hand, his engulfing yours. 

“I tried to suppress it, I really did. I hoped that we would all grow apart and I wouldn’t have to see you or I hoped that you would start dating someone else so that I could have the time to sort through my feelings, but that never happened. So when you asked me that night if I liked you...” Suna trailed off when you pressed a kiss to his cheek. 

“That was cruel of me, teasing you when you liked me,” you apologized, brushing away the hair covering his eyes to restore his signature middle part. “Sorry I reacted like that. I think a part of me wanted you to like me because it felt odd to never have you interact with me as I do with the other boys.” 

It was true. Like Aran had said, the anticipation of Suna’s bold move to walk you home that night flip an internal switch that made your heart flutter unconsciously. That one act of his made you swoon and you could never turn back. 

“Feelings are hard,” Suna sighed as he tapped on his lips with his pointer finger, motioning for a kiss. “I am currently immobile so I’d appreciate it if you do the work. 

Laughing, you leaned onto the bed and kissed Suna gently, unconsciously worried about his injury. 

“I’m not fragile,” Suna whined, wrapping an arm around your waist and pulling your upper body onto the hospital bed just with his upper body strength. Stupid athletes. Stupid volleyball players who could literally throw you around like a rag doll. 

“Okay, okay,” you conceded, teasing Suna by placing kisses along his jawline. With another whine from him, you finally obliged and met his lips, slipping your tongue into his mouth. Suna’s hand tried to slide under your shirt but being immobilized with his ACL injury prevented him. 

Breaking apart, Suna smirked, “Just wait until I get the surgery, I’ll make _you_ immobile for a week.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading! Recently I've been getting so many lovely comments and although I try to respond to all of them, if I miss them, please know that I have read every single comment <3 As always, comments, kudos, and requests are welcome and appreciated! 
> 
> Upcoming: Kita and Yamamoto!


	32. Kita Shinsuke

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Your parents decided to move all the way to Hyogo and become rice farmers?! Maybe you'll reap something more than rice...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1400 kudos?! I can't express my gratitude with words :') Here's is another chapter for a long-waited character!

You really didn’t understand your parents, who could be sitting around doing absolutely nothing in retirement and reaping the monthly allowances from your three older brothers, decided to start a rice farm. Truly, it was baffling to move to Tokyo for college and return after the first semester to Hyogo and your parents’ rice farm. Rice. Farm. You had lived in Tokyo. Now? Rice farm.

You would be lying if you didn’t admit that the idea of living on a rice farm terrified you. An entire month with just your parents and a rice farm. The harvest season was over and so you didn’t even know what on earth needed to be done in the rice fields, but your mother was elated to have extra labor around the house. 

So when you pulled up to the train station to wait for the neighbor that your mother sent to drive you home, you were stunned to see a hot, twenty-something-year-old sitting in a truck with one hand on the wheel. 

“Need help with the bags?” 

Oh, winter break just got a lot more interesting. “I got it!” Reinvigorated with such eye candy, you lifted the luggage bag onto the truck bed and tossed your duffel bag on top. Sliding into the passenger seat, you flashed him a smile and extended your hand. “Hi. A pleasure to meet you,” you put on the most charming smile you could, despite being exhausted from the long train ride.

“Kita Shinsuke,” he stated, shaking your hand firmly once then returning his attention to pulling out of the parking spot. 

Backing out of the spot, he did that thing that made everyone swoon. He placed one of his hands on your headrest and turned the steering just with his palm while turning to look out of the rear window. 

“Can I ask how old you are? You radiate maturity but you don’t look more than twenty-five.” You mindlessly drummed your fingers on your thighs and toyed with the hem of your sweatshirt. Was it the heater or your thick sweater or was it just Kita setting your entire body on fire? It was most definitely Kita.

“I’m twenty.” 

He didn’t bother asking for your age and the conversation stopped at a halt. You had the sneaking suspicion that Kita was a no-nonsense type of guy so you were going to be just as blunt with him too. 

“I’m attracted to you,” you declared boldly, but cautiously, you were observing Kita’s movements like a hawk to gauge his reaction but no facial muscles even twitched. Shamelessly, you continued, “Just letting you know, since I’ll probably see a lot of you for the next month or so.” 

This was your approach with anyone you liked, ever since you were a kid. You literally announced your intentions and if your confession was well-received, you had that closure and a new relationship. If it wasn’t, you still had the closure to take care of your feelings appropriately. 

“Thank you, but I’m not interested,” he replied, his eyes still on the road and a small smile on his lips. 

“No worries,” you reassured him, “I just wanted to let you know so you would know why I act like an idiot in front of you.” 

There were a few minutes of silence as you texted back some friends who were still taking their finals but then, surprisingly, Kita asked, “You do have thicker coats packed, right?” 

You looked down at your jeans and sweatshirt then out the window where snow was lightly falling but dissolving as soon as it touched the ground. Sheepishly you smiled and nodded. “I do, I was just in a rush after class so I forgot to pull out one of the coats I packed.” 

“Good, it does get quite cold in the winter here. If you need, I have some smaller extra coats that I can lend you.” You weren’t shivering but it was a bit nippy, so you rubbed your hands together to create some friction and heat. 

Kita noticed and turned the dial on to crank up the heat and with one hand, unwrapped the scarf around his neck and offered it out to you. 

“Thank you,” you wrapped the scarf around your neck curled up in your seat. “We have about half an hour left, right?” 

“More like 45 minutes with this weather,” Kita frowned, looking ahead at the sea of red brake lights taunting the two of you. 

“Do you mind if I nap? I had three days of finals and pulled two all-nighters back to back,” you yawned and leaned against the window, using your arm as a pillow. 

“Feel free to nap, I’ll drive safe,” Kita adjusted the heat again so that the air wouldn’t blow directly into your face, drying your skin. Instead, he opted to have the heat blasting through the lower vents, still keeping you toasty warm. 

When Kita pulled up to your parents’ house, he felt guilty waking you up, since you were snoring and completely knocked out. Your parents were waving wildly at your sleeping form and when Kita stepped out, he smiled and exchanged brief greetings, explaining to them that you were exhausted from the travel and exams while unloading your luggage. 

When your mother suggested that your father carry you in, Kita stepped in. 

Adjusting your limbs carefully, Kita picked you up bridal style and triumphantly carried you into the house, laying you down in the room that your parents had set up for you. He drew the blankets up to your neck and took one last look at you before leaving the room. 

Hours later, long past the dinner that your parents and Kita shared, you woke up disoriented. Shuffling towards the light, you finally emerged into the living room to see your parents enjoying a TV show together on the couch. 

“You’re awake!” Your mother launched off the couch and threw her arms around you, cooing about how much she missed you and how much you had grown since she last saw you. Your father joined, rubbing circles on your back as he embraced you. 

No matter where your parents decided to move, even if it was in the middle of nowhere, home would always be where your parents were. 

For the first few days, you slept odd hours in an attempt to reclaim all the sleep you had lost during the semester. You groggily ate meals whenever your parents called you and returned to sleep wherever and whenever. Most times, you fell asleep on the couch with your parents massaging your shoulders, arms, and legs with the ambient sounds of whatever TV show they were enjoying in the background. 

It was at the end of your first week that you remembered the neatly folded scarf resting on your bedside table belonged to Kita. 

“Mom? Where does Kita live?” You asked one day, entering the kitchen with a mug of tea in your hand. 

“Right next door! Well, once you cross the rice paddies between us, so about a five-minute walk.” Your mother was cooking your favorite meal, joking that she was celebrating your return to functioning like a normal human being since you no longer slept during the day. 

“I have something to return to him, I’ll be back!” 

You abandoned your mug on the dinner table and rushed into your room to get dressed, bundling up to face the snowstorm that was picking up. 

“Wait!” Your mother called out and you stopped while lacing up your snow boots. “I’m making some tofu hamburgers for dinner too, so why don’t you invite Kita over? It’s his favorite.” 

“I will,” you promised as you pulled down a hat over your ears. Covered from head to toe, you stepped out into the cold and set off towards Kita’s house. 

Processing Kita’s rejection would be more difficult than you expected, with how close he was to your parents, you realized. Usually, you were able to place some distance between whoever you were attracted to and logically work through your feelings to accept the rejection. 

With Kita, you wouldn’t be granted that time alone. 

Walking on the side of the road, you huddled inward as the snowflakes coated your eyelashes. Several cars rumbled by, slowed down by the accumulating snow. Someone was stopped ahead, pulled over on the side of the road, blocking your path. 

You saw them exit the car, walking towards you. 

“What are you doing?!” Kita’s voice laced with concern pierced through the storm. 

Helplessly, you grinned like a fool at the sight of him and pointed to the plastic bag in your hand. “Returning your scarf and inviting you to dinner!” You shouted back, coughing when the chilling wind entered your body. 

Kita was sprinting now, unzipping his long puffy coat for some reason as he neared. He stuffed his hands into his pockets and spread his arms and ran straight into you, enveloping you against his chest and snuggled in his coat. 

“You’re crazy,” he muttered, looking down and inspecting your face. He pulled out one hand from his pockets and hovered a finger over your eyes, which you closed. With feather-light touches, Kita brushed away the snowflakes that adorned your eyelashes. 

You opened your eyes and found Kita’s face an inch away from yours and your breathing quickened. If he hadn’t rejected you and instead given you an ambiguous answer, you would’ve leaned in and just kissed him right then and there. 

“Anyways, come to dinner?” You leaned back slightly to fully look at him. 

Kita let out a soft laugh and nodded. “Come on,” Kita instructed, his arms spinning you to face the same direction as he was, still wrapped up in his coat. The two of you waddled together towards the passenger side of his truck and he opened the door for you. 

In the warmth of the car, you felt your face warming up, and experimentally, you wiggled your gloved fingers outstretched in front of you. Flashing a cheeky smile at him, you joked, “I would turn into an ice sculpture without you.” 

“You act like you don’t get snowstorms in Tokyo,” Kita replied as he began the short drive to his house. “I have something for you at the house and then we’ll go to yours, okay?” 

You nodded and continued to wiggle your fingers, which had lost all their feelings. 

Kita reached over with his right hand and took your hands in his, slipping off the gloves which hadn’t fulfilled their purpose, and instead warming your fingers up with his body heat. 

“You’re like a furnace,” you mused, melting at his touch. Kita pulled up to his house and darted in, only to waddle out with a huge bag of rice in his arms. “Rice?!” You looked at him incredulously as he settled in the driver’s seat. 

“My rice. Harvested from my own rice paddy by yours truly,” Kita proudly announced. “I had to wrestle it away from my best friend who owns an onigiri shop so you better enjoy each bowl.” 

You burst into a laugh and feigned deep reverence with an awkward bow sitting down. “I hope I didn’t steal some business,” you teased. 

There was a brief pause in the banter between the two of you and there was a sharp pang in your heart as you realized that the attraction to Kita was seemingly impossible to avoid. Your face fell and your lips were pressed into a thin line, your sight on the rice fields outside the window. 

Kita breathed in deeply before admitting, “The attraction is mutual.” Your eyes widened but you maintained your gaze on the outdoors, too embarrassed to look at him right now. “It’s just that nothing will come of this, logically speaking.” 

Right. You were only here for a month and then, you would be back to your bustling life in Tokyo, drowning in schoolwork while attempting to maintain some semblance of a social life. Meanwhile, Kita would be hours away on his rice paddy during the day and dining with your parents at night. 

For Kita, would it be worth giving up that wild social life you had always dreamt of in college or would he always remain the one that got away? 

Despite arriving at your parents’ house, the two of you sat still in the car in the stifling silence. You held out a hand for him to take and Kita wrapped his calloused fingers around yours. 

“Do you think we’re worth a shot?” You were hesitant to ask, since long-distance relationships had a tendency to go awry, hurting everyone involved in the end. 

In his mind, Kita thought of all the reasons to say no to you. First, no one could predict if you would meet the love of your life back in Tokyo. Second, there was the nightlife, which opened potential opportunities for infidelity. Then, there was a lack of time to get to know each other. Only a month? It wasn’t enough. Finally, there was the physical intimacy that would evade the two of you for the long stretches of time that you weren’t together. For all of these reasons and plenty more that kept cropping up in Kita’s mind, he concluded that it wouldn’t be worth it. 

But when he opened his mouth to respond, a timid “Yes” escaped instead. 

“Oh wow, okay,” you whispered. “Let’s make the best of this month, okay?” 

The entire time at dinner, your hand was linked with Kita’s, feeling the time pressure taunting you in the back of your mind. 

Every day after that day, you found yourself in Kita’s arms, lounging around with him during the multiple blizzards with which you were stuck indoors. The time was split between your parents’ house and Kita’s and your parents had no complaints about your relationship with Kita, constantly gushing about how mature and hardworking he was for his young age. 

He told you all about his high school volleyball career, how he cried when he received his first official jersey and was made team captain in his third year. He told you about his teammates, recounting the multiple moments in which the Miya Twins pestered him or that time the Miya Twins decided to have a full out fight on the gym floor and all Suna did was record the whole thing on his phone. 

You told him all about your university life, how you made new friends, how you spent most nights at the 24-hour coffee shop on campus typing away on your computer, and the few parties you attended over the course of the year. 

It was cruel, but you fell in love within a matter of days. The two of you stopped counting down the days until you had to leave, promising to cherish the little time you had together. 

So when the day finally came for you to return to Tokyo, you woke up with tears in your eyes. You tried to muffle your sobs into the pillow but Kita stirred and nestled against your back, spooning you. 

“I love you and that will not change,” Kita pressed a kiss to your forehead and despite several more kisses, you refused to face him. “Will you please look at me?” Kita’s voice cracked and you finally turned, burying your face in Kita’s shoulder. 

Muffled by your cries and Kita’s shoulder, you choked out, “I don’t want to leave you.” 

It was January and you would be back in Hyogo at the end of May when the spring semester ended. Could you really make this work? Would the two of you be able to wait for each other? 

You only got dressed and ready to leave under Kita’s directions. He pulled your favorite sweatshirt of his over your head and kissed you deeply, the two of you clutching onto each other. He wrapped himself around your waist and rested his head on your shoulder as you brushed your teeth numbly. 

You had said goodbye to your parents the day prior, them respecting the limited time you had with Kita. Even then, time was running out and you were down to minutes with him. 

In his truck, Kita held your hand throughout the entire drive, reciting everything he loved about you. “I love your hair. I love it when you tease me just for attention. I love when you never dress appropriately for the weather just so I can snuggle you in my arms. I love how much you love your parents. I love it when you cook with your mom. I love when you play with my hair while we cuddle. I love how loud you laugh. I love how you snore when you sleep well. I love how you always reach out to me at night when I shift away. I love your hair, your eyes, your smile, your hands, your legs, and just everything from head to toe. I love you for who you were, who you are, and who you’ll become.”

You wiped away the tears streaming down your cheeks with the balled up sleeves of Kita’s sweatshirt, hiccuping loudly in between sobs. 

Nearly seven hours by car or three and a half hours by the bullet train. No matter what, the distance was daunting. 

At the train station, Kita crushed you in his arms and swept you up in a kiss wet with both of your tears. When you broke apart, you shook your head and begged, “One more.” Kita managed to smile at your adorable plea and easily conceded three more kisses before you really had to board the train. 

You swayed in his arms, reminding him how much you loved him and promising to call him as much as possible. Waving all the way from your seat, you still cried, earning some concerned and irritated looks from fellow passengers. 

As with any long-distance relationship, your relationship with Kita suffered in the beginning. The semester began and you spent long nights at the library, rarely being able to call Kita, who slept earlier in order to be up early to prepare the rice paddies. You exchanged text messages frequently, updating each other about the most insignificant events but still finding joy in learning about the other’s life. 

In mid-March, buried in the middle of an intense week of midterms, you broke down crying while video calling Kita.

“I’m just so tired and I want to sleep in your arms,” you sniffled. “I’ve literally been wearing all of your clothes but they don’t smell like you anymore.” 

Kita’s warm smile shone on your screen and he reasoned, “Once you finish midterms, that means you’re halfway done with the semester and you’ll be closer to coming back to Hyogo.” 

Pouting, you mumbled, “I have three midterms in the next two days. I don’t think I’ll make it.” 

Kita perked up and asked, “Is Thursday your last midterm?” You failed to notice the excitement building up inside him. 

You nodded, double-checking your calendar that was scribbled with due dates, exams, and your work shifts. “I have all of Friday off so I plan to sleep for most of it.” 

“You deserve it, okay? I’ve got to go, but I love you, and good luck on your midterms!” Kita cheered you on and then he was gone. You were all alone in your dorm room again. 

As soon as you submitted your last midterm, you made a beeline back to your dorm, brushing off your friends’ offers to go to karaoke. All you wanted was to sleep. As you were briskly walking through campus, you tried to call Kita to boast about how you finished your midterms, but he refused to answer. 

Reasoning that he was most likely out in the rice paddy, you blasted music through your headphones as you approached the security booth in front of your dorm building. 

“No fucking way,” you whispered, launching into a full sprint and tackling Kita, who was grinning with a bouquet of roses in his hand. “How? When? How? What?” You looked up at him dazed, poking his cheek with your finger to confirm that he was real. 

Kita tilted your head up and swept you up in a passionate kiss that left you breathless and slightly embarrassed since you were making out in the middle of a university quad in between classes. 

“I missed you and you deserved a present for finishing all your midterms. I took the bullet train this morning,” Kita explained, his arm around your waist as the two of you dreamily walked to your dorm room. 

You fumbled with the keys, flustered by Kita attacking your neck and shoulders with kisses and nips. 

“I can’t believe you’re here,” you breathed out, dazed. 

Kita’s hand rested on top of yours to steady your hand as you turned the key in its lock. You abandoned your backpack on the floor and nearly forgot the key in its lock, which Kita had to point out. 

Now, standing in front of Kita in your dorm room in Tokyo, it finally settled in. Kita was here. 

With a gentle push from you, Kita plopped down on the edge of the bed and you climbed onto his lap, your knees caging his legs. 

“I missed you,” you whispered, holding his face in your hands. Kita’s hands were on your waist and the small of your back. 

“Show me how much you missed me,” Kita smirked and you threw back your head and laughed. 

You wiggled your eyebrows mischievously and sultrily breathed, “At your service.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Pretty quick, huh? I promised to fulfill requests before Christmas and here I am! As always, thank you so much for the comments, kudos, and requests! 
> 
> Upcoming: Yamamoto and Ukai Keishin


	33. Yamamoto Taketora

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kuroo convinces you to become the Nekoma manager for the duration of the training camp, but can you stay focused when you find out that a teammate likes you?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I scrapped six different plot lines to finally settle with this one -- Tokyo training camp coming through to save me, thank goodness!!

“Please?! You have to do it for us! No, not us, for the sake of Nekoma!” Kuroo whined, holding onto your arm with both hands and tugging on you like a child. You rolled your eyes at Kuroo and opened your mouth to deny Kuroo, but Kenma’s hand slid over your favorite snacks onto your desk. 

You tore open the snack and munched on it, keeping Kuroo waiting for your entertainment. Finally, you opened your mouth and announced, “I’ll go to your stupid training camp and fake being your manager.” 

Kuroo threw his arms around you and swore, “It’ll be fun! You can make new friends!”

You couldn’t help but roll your eyes again at Kuroo and leaned back in your desk chair. “I know nothing about being a volleyball manager so if I have to do anything official, I’ll blame you for all of my mistakes.” 

“No worries,” Kuroo brushed your concerns off. “All we wanted was a manager to brag about too.” 

Kenma added, “I’ll tell others,” before rushing off to the gym, where the practice was about to begin. 

You really didn’t mind being their manager since Kuroo tutored you for free, but you just wanted to make Kuroo sweat a little bit for Kenma and your enjoyment. Honestly, taking a week of your summer vacation to hang out with students from other schools in the Tokyo area was more of a benefit to you than the Nekoma volleyball team. 

“I know someone who’ll be very happy to hear this news,” Kuroo casually commented as he slung your backpack over his shoulder. 

“Who?” You racked your brain for the short list of people that Kuroo knew, mostly through volleyball or the 20-something other students in his college prep class. 

“Just someone,” Kuroo waved the air dismissively and diverted your attention to the scheduling of the training camp. As the two of you approached the gym, Kuroo suddenly stopped and asked you, “Wait, didn’t you like that kid from Karasuno? I’m blanking on the name.” 

“Hey, like is a strong word!” You insisted, arguing back, “I just said that many of their players were hot, judging from your photo with them.” 

Kuroo chuckled and stepped into the gymnasium, dramatically dropping your backpack onto the floor, earning everyone’s attention. You peeked out from behind Kuroo and waved at the team, who had upgraded to gawking at you. 

“You did not,” Lev gasped, barreling towards Kuroo and throwing his arms around him. “You did not get us a manager!” 

At the word “manager,” everyone crowded around Kuroo and you and suddenly, you felt like you were surrounded by giants, even though you considered yourself to be of a pretty average height, even if Kuroo loved poking fun of it. 

Clearing your throat, you introduced yourself. “Hello everyone, Kuroo has hired me as your new-fake manager for the duration of the Tokyo training camp. Nice to meet you all.” You circled around shaking hands with everyone who took their time introducing themselves and their position, even though you really didn’t have a clue what the positions even meant. 

You tried to spy which player potentially was interested in you, but no one revealed themselves to be overly excited by your presence, other than Lev, of course, which you expected. 

“If you don’t mind, will you stick around for practice today?” Lev asked, trailing you like a puppy. 

“Sure,” you shrugged, “I have nothing better to do.” 

As the players began stretching, you took note of everyone’s names, giving them nicknames to better memorize their names by the training camp. 

You typed away on your phone as you mumbled, “Lev... giant golden retriever. Yaku... short and spunky. Yamamoto... mohawk.” Continuing on for the remainder of the team with the exception of Kenma and Kuroo, you finalized a method to remember everyone’s names and their faces. You also took the liberty of snapping some great action shots of the boys playing a practice game and reminded yourself to send some to Kuroo later to use for promotions of their club for recruitment next year. 

Final exams kept the Nekoma volleyball club out of sight and out of mind for you, since your attendance for the training camp depended on your passing grades as well. As a result, Kuroo paid special attention to prepping you for the chemistry final, insisting upon tutoring you every day for the week preceding the exam day. 

Two days before the chemistry exam, you feigned an attempt to smack your head into your desk, but Kuroo’s reflexes had his arm darting out to protect your head before it could make contact with the solid wooden edge of your desk. 

“I have no motivation to continue, Kuroo,” you sighed, turning your head to face him, using his arm as a pillow. Dramatically, you continued, “I can only go on studying if you tell me who’s happy to have me as your manager.” 

Indeed, this was all part of your devious plan to wrestle an answer out of Kuroo ever since you learned of someone’s interest in you. 

“Don’t even think about it,” Kuroo tutted, pulling his arm out from under you quickly enough so that you couldn’t react, but slowly enough so that he could still cradle your head and prevent you from being injured. “I can only tell you after the training camp,” Kuroo offered. “I don’t want things to get awkward for a week when we’re all stuck sleeping together.” 

“I guess I’ll just fail my chemistry exam, then,” you threatened, glaring daggers at Kuroo, who looked alarmed now. 

“We’ll play a guessing game,” Kuroo countered, considering that guessing wouldn’t technically consist of him actually revealing the secret. 

Pleased, you sat up and stretched, preparing to outsmart Kuroo. “Set the rules.” You allowed him to have some advantage, since you were certain of your victory, knowing you had the upper hand. 

Kuroo crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair. “You can only ask me four questions that have a yes or no answer. Deal?” Kuroo offered out his hand for a shake. 

Shaking his hand with as strong of a grip as you could manage against the captain of the Nekoma volleyball team, you agreed, “Deal.” 

Knowing that the Nekoma volleyball players would be the easiest line of questioning to start down, you asked, “Is he a volleyball player on your team?” 

Kuroo nodded solemnly, trying not to give away any further clues with his facial expressions. 

“Is he in our year?” Other than Kuroo, there were only two other third years on the team. 

To your disappointment, Kuroo shook his head. You took a moment to think through the other players on the team. First, you knew that the chances of the player being a first-year student was low since you had never interacted with them before the practice you attended. That left the three second-years: Kenma, Yamamoto, and Fukunaga.

Could it be Kenma? You had known him for the past year since he occasionally tagged along to Kuroo’s tutoring sessions to do homework alongside you. You took a chance and asked if Kenma liked you. Kuroo stifled a laugh and shook his head, restoring as serious of an expression he could. 

Down to your last question, you tried to conjure up an image of the two other second-year players on the team. Of the two boys, Yamamoto was more memorable to you, thanks to his bleached mohawk. “Does Yamamoto like me?” 

Kuroo’s eyes gave away the answer before he could even nod. 

“Interesting” was all you said, now deep in thought. You didn’t really know much about any of the players, but you knew from Kuroo that the last girl Yamamoto liked was the Karasuno manager. Kuroo never spoke badly about any of his teammates, so you were aware that they were all baseline, good guys. 

Kuroo interrupted your thoughts. “So what are you going to do?” 

“What do you mean, what am I going to do? I don’t think either of us really knows much about each other to do anything,” you shrugged. “I’ll keep the information in mind and I’ll just see how things turn out.” 

Things started intensifying on the very first day of the training camp, however. As soon as the Karasuno team arrived, one of their players, Tanaka, bragged about the two managers. 

Casually, Yamamoto stepped up to your side and casually threw his arm around your shoulder, boasting, “We have a manager too, Tanaka!” 

Knowing what you knew, your entire body felt as if it was on fire the moment Yamamoto touched you. You were confused and excited all at once but the confusion won and you shifted your weight onto your other foot. Realizing that you were uncomfortable, Yamamoto quickly removed his hand from your shoulder and walked toward Tanaka to shake his hand. 

You headed over to help the two Karasuno managers unload the luggage and introduced yourself. 

“Yachi and Kiyoko, right?” You double-checked that you had their names correct and they smiled at you. “I hope you can teach me too, Kiyoko,” you adorably appealed to Kiyoko. “I’m a new manager and I want to help out the team as much as I can.” 

What began as a temporary, casual favor for you turned into a serious dedication to the team. It was your final year in high school, as was Kuroo’s, so you were determined to help out the team as much as you could for the little time the two of you had left together at Nekoma. 

Carrying the boxes of supplies and equipment for the Karasuno team, you walked between Yachi and Kiyoko, sharing random facts about yourselves. 

“Tanaka and Yamamoto seem to be two peas in a pod,” you noted. 

Kiyoko laughed quietly and agreed. “They really are. Both of them are really great volleyball players and even greater guys.” 

Yachi piped in, “Tanaka likes Kiyoko! I think she likes him back too.” 

Kiyoko only offered a small smile in response. You immediately shared in return, “According to Kuroo, Yamamoto likes me.” 

“Where do you stand on that?” Yachi eagerly asked. 

“Still figuring it out.” 

As the whistle blew throughout the gym, you waved goodbye to the girls and jogged over to the Nekoma team, who were preparing for their first practice match. 

Kuroo beckoned you over and whispered, “Will you take notes on the opposition team? I made you a template so you can write down who does the most of a certain activity, like spiking.” 

Feeling inadequate, you hesitantly agreed and swore to yourself to ask Kiyoko about managing more later on during dinner time. 

Just before the match, you were standing next to the court, flipping through the prepared notebook that Kuroo had handed you when Yamamoto approached you. 

“Sorry about earlier!” He boomed before scurrying off. 

Instinctively, you scribbled in the margins of the notebook, _Respectful but overly excitable._

For the entirety of the training camp, you scribbled notes to yourself your opinions on Yamamoto, deciding to come to a judgment by the end of the training camp. You hated harboring this secret for long and wanted to know exactly whether you liked him back or not within the next week. 

_Likes yakisoba bread..._ You had overheard that piece of information during his conversation with Noya as they ranked the best bakery items during dinner on the first night. 

_Kenma and Tanaka call him Tora -- it’s cute..._ His nickname managed to compensate for the initial intimidating appearance that Yamamoto gave off. 

_Hot-headed..._ You witnessed a scuffle between Kenma and Yamamoto after Kenma refused to dig for a receive, resulting in a lost point for Nekoma. 

_Fantastic sense of humor..._ More often than not, you overheard the jokes that he cracked to the team and you burst out laughing, catching his attention. Whenever you laughed at his jokes, he always turned his head in your direction to confirm that you were the owner of the laughter and smiled. 

Ever since the first day of camp, he didn’t approach you, but you caught him staring at you more than once. Initially, you were offended, but then you realized that he was awkward with all the other managers and wrote down _Adorably awkward_ next to notes on a practice match between Nekoma and Karasuno. 

It was the third night of camp and you woke up in the middle of the night, desperately needing to get some water from the kitchen. All the lights were out in the halls except for the dotted illumination that the vending machines provided at the end of the hall. 

You considered waking Kuroo up but he was snoring soundly, physically exhausted from hours of volleyball practices. Kenma was your next option but when you searched in the dark for Kenma at his usual spot, you found it empty. Instead, you found him curled up in Kuroo’s arms, with Kuroo’s leg tossed over Kenma’s waist. Smiling to yourself, you crept through the sea of sleeping boys and hesitated at the door. 

You must have whimpered because the next thing you knew, someone whispered in the dark, “Are you okay?” 

Desperately looking for the origin of the voice, you found a groggy Yamamoto sitting up with his blanket pooled at his feet. 

You didn’t want to take advantage of him so you steeled yourself and nodded. Yamamoto didn’t believe it for a second. He silently rose and tiptoed towards you and guided you out of the room with his hand on your shoulder. 

“What’s wrong?” 

Looking up at him apologetically, you revealed, “I’m thirsty but it’s so dark and I really didn’t want to venture to the kitchen by myself.” 

Holding your hand, Yamamoto led the way to the kitchen and grabbed a water bottle from the top shelf, and held it out for you. 

“Thank you,” you mumbled as you greedily sipped from the bottle, sighing as the water cooled down your body in the stifling summer heat. 

You held his hand again on the way back and before he settled into his own spot, he sat up to make sure you were lying down. 

In the morning, it was as if the events of the previous night didn’t happen at all and Yamamoto was back to relatively avoiding you. He skirted around you, always seating himself far from where you were, which only added to your annoyance since you were pretty certain you liked him now. 

You found yourself staring at him during the practice matches and nearly got hit by a stray volleyball that was flying right at your head, resulting in a stern talk from Kuroo that morphed into something else entirely. 

Dramatically wrenching the notebook out from your hands and throwing it onto the floor, Kuroo dragged you out of the gymnasium and demanded, “Why weren’t you paying attention, you could’ve gotten hurt!” 

You admitted, “I was staring.” When Kuroo eyed you for an explanation, you finally added, “I was staring at Yamamoto, okay?” 

That opened a floodgate of teasing from Kuroo who was overjoyed that you had “come to your senses.” 

You rolled your eyes and smacked Kuroo in the arm, threatening to hit him again if he revealed this to Yamamoto. 

Kuroo boasted, “I’m a keeper of secrets, all-knowing,” as he marched the two of you back into the gymnasium, shifting to a stern expression to save face in front of his teammates. 

As you entered the gym, you found Kenma holding your notebook open in his hands, surrounded by his teammates. 

“Oh shit,” you muttered as you sprinted towards Kenma and snatched the notebook out of his hands. 

Embarrassed, you ran right out of the gymnasium and up the hill that was used for punishment whenever a team lost. By the time you reached the top, you were out of breath and you collapsed on the grass, throwing the notebook out of reach. 

Instead of writing down statistics today, you were drafting various confession notes and speeches like some middle school kid. 

Back in the gymnasium, Yamamoto found himself hyped up by his fellow teammates, who urged him to chase after you. However, Yamamoto refused, standing his ground and insisting on continuing the practice. 

You headed to the outdoor sinks to splash water on your face before returning to the gymnasium as if nothing had happened. Thankfully, the boys didn’t really let on that anything had happened either. 

You found comfort alongside Yachi and Kiyoko during dinner time as you rested your head on Yachi’s shoulder and Kiyoko consoled you. 

With your eyes closed, you didn’t see Yamamoto approach you but you felt Yachi’s shoulder tense up in anticipation. 

“Can we talk?” You heard Yamamoto’s voice and you contemplated feigning sleep or not. 

Eventually, you nodded and opened your eyes, taking his hand that was offered out, and was escorted out of the cafeteria. 

Yamamoto led you outside into the somewhat cool night air and settled on the same hill you ran up earlier. You considered speaking up first but decided to let Yamamoto take the lead since he was the one who sought you out in the first place. 

Finally, Yamamoto spoke, “I didn’t want to run after you earlier because I didn’t want to embarrass you any further. Also, I’m not... good at this because no one has ever liked me back so I really don’t know what I’m doing either.” 

You couldn’t help but laugh at his adorable stumbling and smiled at him gratefully. Placing a gentle hand on his arm, you took a deep breath and confessed, “I weaseled it out of Kuroo that you liked me and because I didn’t know you well, I wanted to give myself time before making a decision. You obviously know my decision.” 

Yamamoto’s mouth was open and he was staring at you, shocked. 

“Why are you so surprised?” You laughed, leaning slightly into Yamamoto. “You read the notebook, didn’t you?!” 

“I did, but I’m having a hard time believing it!” He was huffing and desperately avoiding your gaze but had an arm on your waist, supporting your lean into him. 

“I’ll be honest, I do love this awkward charm of yours,” you sang as you captured his face with your hand and guided him to look into your eyes. With a serious tone, you affirmed, “I really like you and would love to get to know you more.” 

Yamamoto blushed furiously and you couldn’t help but tease, “See? You’re so adorable!” 

Pulling his face down to yours, you ambushed Yamamoto with a quick kiss and giggled at his deepened flush. Yamamoto hesitated for one second before tackling you to the grass and returning your kiss. As he pulled away, Yamamoto jokingly asked, “Does this mean you’ll stay the manager even after the training camp?” 

Rolling your eyes you exclaimed, “Yes, but we’ll never hear the end of it from Kuroo.”

Yamamoto’s face fell as he whispered to you, hauntingly, “The teasing and boasting will be unbearable.” 

“I’ll threaten to leave the team if it gets too much,” you swore, wrapping your arms around Yamamoto’s waist. “Kuroo’s wrapped around my finger.” Looking at Yamamoto, you happily added, “Now you too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading, commenting, suggesting, and leaving kudos! My goal is to have Ukai published before Christmas but we shall see! 
> 
> Upcoming: Keishin, Hirugami, Kiyoko


	34. Ukai Keishin

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You return to Miyagi with an unexpected surprise and Keishin can't believe his eyes. Can Keishin recover a night that he regrets to this day?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This might be one of my ~spiciest~ chapters??? Honestly, it was because Keishin's older so if suggestive smut isn't your thing, feel free to skip this chapter!

There was a devilish grin on your face as you looked up at the same old sign for the Sakanoshita store that you last saw four years ago. 

“Pudding please?” The boy on your hip batted his eyelashes and pouted. He was bouncing on your hip and clutching on the collar of your sweatshirt. 

“Of course, Kai,” you cooed, placing a light kiss on the tip of his nose. Heaving him up to hold him against your chest, he immediately curled his tiny, chubby arms around your neck and held the small hairs on the nape of your neck with his small fist. He rested his head on your shoulder and in his other hand, an anthropomorphic volleyball plush was dangling. 

Gingerly supporting the boy with one arm and opening the door with the other, you stepped into the store with the chime of the bells dangling. 

“Welcome,” Keishin droned, his attention still wholly on the newspaper in his hands. You inhaled sharply as you laid eyes on him and his unruly blonde hair messily pushed back with that thin headband. There was an unlit cigarette tucked behind his right ear and a pen wiggled between his teeth. 

You slowly walked through the aisles, grabbing a can of coffee for yourself, two bags of chips, and a 6 pack of the chocolate pudding Kai wanted. Balancing everything in your arms, you approached the counter. 

“Kai, can you help me put down your puddings on here?” You tapped the counter and tilted down so that Kai could do as you asked, briefly parting with his beloved pudding. You shifted Kai to your hips after emptying your arms to fish the loose bills crumpled up in your pocket. 

Finally, Keishin looked up from his newspaper to start scanning your items but his eyes didn’t land on you until it was time for you to pay. 

“You have a kid?!” Keishin froze as he scanned you up and down, ignoring your outstretched hand with crumpled bills. His eyes darted between Kai and you with his mouth hanging open. 

Oh, it felt good to see Keishin so flustered. Grinning, you placed the bills down onto the counter and turned so that Keishin could clearly see Kai’s face. “Say hello, Kai,” you instructed. 

“Hello,” Kai adorably attempted a bow and reached out to Keishin with grabby hands, who was utterly speechless. Keishin’s arms were stuck to his sides and you had to guide Kai’s hands back to his chest. 

Judging that Keishin was shocked enough, you burst out into a peal of clear laughter and confessed, “Keishin, meet my nephew Kai. Kai, meet Keishin, my high school friend and former volleyball player.” 

At the word volleyball, Kai’s eyes lit up and he showed off his volleyball plushie to Keishin, waving it in his face. “Lookie!” Kai proudly offered out the plushie and Keishin robotically raised his hand to pet the plushie and ruffle Kai’s hair. 

“It’s good to see you,” Keishin finally croaked, clearing his throat and finishing up the transaction for you, bagging your groceries. “You’re back in Miyagi.” 

Taking the grocery bag in your free hand, you nodded. “I’m housesitting and babysitting Kai for the next three weeks while my sister and brother-in-law are traveling work,” you explained, gazing down lovingly at your nephew before holding his arm up and waving at Keishin. 

As you walked out of the store, Keishin called out, “Come by again. Don’t be a stranger.” 

You threw a smile his way before pushing the door open with your shoulder and walking out. You didn’t realize that you were crying until Kai poked your wet cheeks. Sniffling, you whispered, “Sorry, Kai.” You nuzzled Kai’s face and clutched him tighter to your chest. 

Seeing Keishin launched a stream of memories that you had locked away for so long. As a first-year student at Karasuno, while Keishin was in the graduating class, you joined the volleyball club as a manager. You remembered how you confessed to him on the last day of volleyball practice for the third-years, only to be gently rejected. 

To this day, you remembered knocking on his door at the last overnight training camp of the school year and confessing. You ended up in his bed, caged under his arms and your shaking fingers resting on his bare, muscular chest. He dipped down and hovered his lips over your ear only for him to whisper, “You’ll be better off without me and away from Miyagi,” with a cruel smile on his face. For the next two years, you avoided the Sakanoshita store and Keishin entirely until you graduated and matriculated to a university in Tokyo, erasing all memories of Keishin when sober. Whenever you were drunk, which was nearly every weekend in university, the memory of the almost-hookup with Keishin haunted you. 

Your appearances in Miyagi before today were brief and confined to visits to your family during the holidays. Now, when your sister needed you the most, you made up your mind to return to Miyagi for Kai, arranging to work from home as a statistical analyst for Bouncing Ball Corporation. 

“Pudding!” Kai demanded as you crossed the threshold into your sister’s house. Adoring Kai, you immediately tore open a pudding cup for Kai and handed him his tiny spoon while you put away the chips out of reach from Kai’s hands. 

Settling down at the table next to Kai’s high chair, you cracked open your coffee can and sipped on it, brushing through Kai’s hair with your fingers. 

As his nap time approached, Kai grew fussy and you immediately held him in your arms, lightly bouncing him until he fell asleep. You could’ve easily laid him down in his bed but you refused, instead choosing to walk around the house with him nestled in your arms for your own comfort. 

You made Kai’s dinner and yours with one hand, frequently looking down to ensure that Kai was still asleep. Just as you were ready to wake Kai up for dinner, you heard three knocks at the door. 

Only a handful of people knew that you were in Miyagi and so, as you walked towards the door, you guessed exactly who would be the uninvited guest. 

Cracking the door open, you whispered, “Keishin, Kai’s sleeping.” You hand one hand on the back of Kai’s head and poking the shoulder opposite to Kai’s preferred one to protect him from the chilly winds blowing tonight. 

“I...” Keishin hesitated as he scratched his head. “I don’t know why I’m here, to be honest. All I know is I wanted to see you again and I didn’t think you’d come by the store again, since you’ve been so adept at avoiding me all these years.” Quickly, he added, “You had the complete right to avoid me, I understand. I was immature and I just wanted a hookup from you, even after you confessed to me. You deserved better than me and I barely avoided being selfish, but in the end, I never explained myself and only hurt you in the process.” 

Kai fidgeted in your arms and kicked out his feet. Carefully, you bent down to have him on his feet, expecting him to run off. Instead, he chose to linger at your legs, wrapping himself around your left leg. 

You looked up at Keishin apologetically and opened the door wider to let him in. You were still processing his words but you shuddered and realized you forgot to invite him in. “It’s freezing outside, come in.” You offered your hand to Kai, who detached from your leg and waddled alongside Keishin and you into the living room. 

Kai’s toys were scattered all over the living room floor in front of the couch and you cleared a path for Keishin to sit down. Heaving Kai up onto your lap with his own arm full of toys, you settled him down before finally turning towards Keishin. 

His mouth was slightly open in awe as Keishin watched you transforming a robot toy into a car and handing it over to Kai. 

“You really grew up, kid. You’re ready to have your own kid,” Keishin commented as you passed to Kai more of his toys and adjusted them to his liking. 

You couldn’t help but laugh since Keishin was only two years older than you, which you pointed out. “You still haven’t changed one bit. You were an asshole but I do respect that you didn’t use me that night,” you mused quietly. 

Sheepishly, Keishin admitted, “I’m coaching the boy’s volleyball club at Karasuno so maybe I’m literally regressing back to our high school days. I am working on bettering myself though-- I inherited the store and I help out on the family farm most mornings.” 

Immediately, you looked at Kai and jumped at the opportunity. “Keishin, can I take Kai to a Karasuno volleyball practice? I’ll bring snacks or something for you and the club!” 

Keishin hesitated so you sweetened the deal. “I’ll make you your favorite konnyaku dumplings,” you sang. When he didn’t take you up on that deal immediately, you used the ultimate weapon. Picking up Kai and standing him on your lap, you begged, “Please? How can you say no to Kai’s adorable face?” 

“That’s not what I want,” Keishin’s gruff voice grumbled. 

Peeking from behind Kai, you raised an eyebrow at him. You put Kai down again and let him roam free on the floor. “What _do_ you want from me then?” As long as it was reasonable, you were willing to grant his wish to let Kai watch a volleyball practice. You had already taken care of Kai for the past three days and was running low on ideas with three weeks left in Miyagi. At this point, you were desperate to get him out of the house. 

Keishin avoided your gaze and stared out the window as he mumbled, “I want you to give me a chance if you still feel the same as you did years ago. I’ve regretted that night for years and I just want to make it right. I only realized I liked you back once you were gone.” He ran his fingers through his hair and finally managed to turn his head in your direction. “I’m really proud of who you’ve become, though. I’m happy to see you happy.” 

It was your turn to be stunned as you stared at Keishin. “I-” you started but was interrupted by Kai whining to be held. You scooped him up and cradled him but lost your train of thought. The words tumbled out of your mouth without warning as you joked, “I really can’t go on a date without Kai.” 

Keishin jumped at the chance and replied, “So it’ll be the three of us. I’ll take you to dinner.” 

Incredulously, you repeated, “You’re going to take Kai and me on a date.” 

“Absolutely.” 

You didn’t know where Keishin got this confidence all of a sudden but thought, why not? Although Keishin really hadn’t been on your mind, seeing him just brought all those tumultuous emotions of your teenage years right back. 

Using Kai’s bedtime as an excuse, you escorted Keishin to the doorway with Kai in your arms. 

“I’ll come by tomorrow to pick you up and we can walk to Karasuno together then after practice, I’ll take you to dinner,” Keishin confirmed. 

You nodded and raised your hand to wave goodbye when Keishin abruptly leaned down and kissed your cheek. Your eyes widened and you didn’t have time to react before Keishin jogged away into the night. 

Kai giggled as he imitated Keishin and kissed you on your cheek as well. Exhausted from the emotional rollercoaster of today, you passed out with Kai next to you, anticipating tomorrow with an open mind. 

The next day, you were in the middle of dressing Kai when Keishin appeared. Worried that Kai would attempt to run away if you answered the door, you hollered, “Come in!” 

Keishin followed your voice and found you struggling to pull Kai’s head out of his sweater. 

Desperately looking at Keishin, you gasped, “Can you hold his torso? He keeps wiggling.” 

Like two new parents, Keishin and you managed to take ten more minutes putting shoes on Kai’s feet. 

“I can hold him if your arms are tired?” Keishin’s offer took you aback since Keishin really wasn’t the type to mingle with kids. However, you needed to find Kai’s volleyball plushie if you were going to leave the house for a long period of time and during the chaos of this morning’s playtime, you had no idea where it was. 

“Kai, stay with Keishin, okay?” You hurried out into the living room, trusting the two boys to get along. 

You triumphantly waltzed into the room and found Keishin tossing Kai up into the air, who was giggling nonstop. Noticing your presence, Keishin caught Kai and pointed to you. You expected Kai to reach out to you, but he was comfortably chilling in Keishin’s arms. 

Grabbing your bag, you let Keishin lead the way to Karasuno, chatting about your life in Tokyo. You were unabashedly honest with him, spilling the details about your few ex-boyfriends that you met through work, your childish but amazing boss, and your tiny one-room apartment which you had a new problem with monthly. 

As the two of you climbed the hill up to Karasuno, Keishin shared that his life was pretty much the same, including how his mother was relentless in marrying him off. 

“I should avoid your mother,” you joked as Keishin opened the door to the gymnasium. 

“Absolutely,” Keishin nodded furiously. “If you see her, run, and especially if you’re with Kai.” The two of you were too busy laughing at your jokes to notice the entirety of the Karasuno volleyball club staring at the three of you. 

A boy that looked like the embodiment of sunshine gasped, “Coach, you have a kid?!” He ran towards the three of you and peered at Kai, who was clapping his hands, dropping his plushie. 

“Here you go, my name is Hinata!” Hinata bent down to pick up the plushie and placed it in Kai’s arms. Facing Keishin, Hinata repeated, “Coach did you knock up a woman and have a kid?!” 

He pointed at you and you immediately held up your hands, shaking them. “No, no,” you began, ready to launch an explanation, but your attention was shifted to Kai who wanted to be in your arms.

Keishin casually transferred Kai to you, only drawing more looks of shock from the team. 

“I’m Keishin’s high school friend and this is my nephew, Kai,” you finally introduced yourself properly despite Kai attempting to climb onto your shoulders. “Kai here is a fan of volleyball so I wanted him to see your practice if you guys don’t mind.” 

Everyone nodded numbly and Keishin set out two chairs for you and Kai next to the managers, Yachi and Kiyoko. 

Kai was delighted to watch the practice, his little head turning left and right following the volleyball. Keishin managed to incorporate Kai into the practice, rolling him a volleyball back and forth and having Kai “spike it” over the net by lifting him up right next to the net. 

The curious glances persisted throughout practice but you didn’t mind at all. Honestly, it was funny to you and the idea of a family with Keishin sounded less ludicrous as the practice progressed.

By the end of practice, Kai was best friends with Yachi and Kiyoko who played tag with him. 

While the boys were cleaning up, Keishin tossed a volleyball between his hands, and cheekily asked, “Give me a toss, for old times sake?” 

Knowing that Kai was in good hands, you caught the volleyball that Keishin threw and approached the net. 

With the ball in your hands, you remembered the late-night practices with Keishin and the walks home with him afterward that made you fall in love with him in the first place. Standing on the court with him, it truly felt like nothing had changed. 

You offered him countless tosses until the gym eventually emptied out, leaving Kai sitting on the chair dozing off and Keishin sweating from the sudden exercise. 

Holding the ball in your hand, you faked a toss and clutched the ball in front of your stomach. 

“What’s up?” Keishin asked, readjusting his headband and combing through his hair. He looked at Kai and waved, to which Kai waved back eagerly. 

“I want to know what I’m getting into,” you announced. You were 24 and ready to settle down, no longer wanted to date around for fun. Knowing Keishin’s avoidance when it came to serious relationships, you wanted affirmation that both of you were looking for the same thing in each other. 

Keishin took one step towards you and looked you directly in the eyes. “I don’t want to say no to you anymore,” he assured you, finally kissing you on the lips after all these years. “Marriage is on the table but kids... ask me in a few years because my hands are full with this team.” 

Your eyes widened at the sound of kids and burst out laughing. “I’m not ready for kids either! If I want some cuteness in my life, I’ll come to Kai.” 

At the sound of his name, Kai looked out drowsily and reached out for you. You flashed an apologetic look at Keishin and helped Kai fall asleep in your arms while Keishin cleaned up the gymnasium.

“Can we reschedule the date?” You pleaded quietly, careful not to wake Kai up. 

“I made you wait all these years. I can wait a little longer,” Keishin smiled, wrapping his arm around your waist. 

For three weeks, Keishin and you achieved domestic bliss as you looked after Kai together. He stayed over most nights, clutching onto you tightly in his sleep, exhausted from keeping up with Kai’s endless energy. 

The few times that Keishin did attempt to undress you in bed, Kai manifested in the doorway, sniffling as he climbed into bed with you two. 

The day that your sister came home, she found Keishin and you running around the living room chasing Kai. Liberated from childcare responsibilities, you rushed goodbyes to Kai and your sister and dragged Keishin out of the house.

“Can I cash in that rain check for the date today?” You wiggled your brows suggestively while tugging on Keishin’s arm. 

“You’re getting treated to more than just a date,” Keishin declared as he effortlessly picked you up. 

Locking your legs around his waist, you whispered in his ear, “Show me what I’ve been missing all these years.” 

In his low voice that always quickened your heartbeat, Keishin whispered back, “I’ll finally show you everything I thought of doing to you since that night, baby.” 

You almost regretted his words later that night when Keishin’s mother burst in through his bedroom door, complaining about how loud his “suggestive videos” were. 

Her eyes nearly popped out of her head when she saw you sitting on the bed with your legs wrapped around Keishin’s waist, barely shielded by Keishin’s naked body. 

She choked out an apology and when the two of you were alone again, you cried out, “We need a place of our own!” 

“Baby, if you move back to Miyagi, I’ll happily go apartment hunting for us,” Keishin panted, his hands roaming up your torso. 

Although it was in your best interest to not continue, Keishin was tired of waiting and he shoved you down and hungrily smashed his lips to yours.

Breakfast the next morning with Keishin’s mother was an event you wouldn’t wish upon your worst enemy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love Ukai Keishin but damn it writing this man had me scrapping three different plot lines. It's ten minutes before Christmas ends where I live so here's my gift to y'all~ Merry Christmas if you celebrate! 
> 
> As always, thank you for reading, commenting, and leaving requests and kudos! 
> 
> Upcoming: Hirugami and Kiyoko


	35. Hirugami Sachirou

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While temporarily taking care of Tobio and Shouyou's dog, Hiro, you unexpectedly meet Hirugami Sachirou.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Watched 101 Dalmations after getting this request... I fucking loved the movie, goodness. How did I go 21 years without seeing it?!
> 
> Thank you so much for 1500+ kudos :')

“Hiro! Baby, come here!” You called out, sitting on the floor of your living room with your phone in your hand. 

The camera app was ready in your hand and as soon as Hiro sprinted out of your bedroom and towards you, you began filming. 

“Hiro, say hi to your dads!” You waved your hand in front of the phone camera and zoomed in on Hiro’s face, cupping his face. 

Scooping up Hiro, you brought him onto your lap as you flipped the camera. “See you boys in three days! This is proof that you can trust Hiro with me from now on!” You stuck your tongue out before ending the video, rewatching it, and satisfied enough to send it to Tobio. 

A minute later, Tobio’s name flashed on your screen, requesting a video call.

Rolling your eyes, you accepted the call and burst into a smile. “Shouyou!” You cried out, showing off Hiro on your lap. “How’s Brazil?”

“Hi! Brazil is great! I can’t-” Shouyou was shoved aside and your older brother took up the entirety of the screen and you gave him a dirty look. 

“Where’s Hiro?” Tobio demanded, and you panned the camera to your lap, where Hiro was chewing on his ragged volleyball shaped toy. 

“Wow, no hello?” You teased, happy to see that your brother and his boyfriend were doing well. 

“Good to know you’ve kept him alive,” Tobio shot back as he tossed his phone to Shouyou, who launched into questions about how Hiro’s been treating you. 

Tobio laid down with his head on Shouyou’s lap, occasionally pointing out the mistakes you made with Hiro off-screen. Shouyou would then immediately scold Tobio for being mean to you.

“Anyways, when’s your flight arriving? I’ll come to pick you guys up and bring Hiro out!” 

Tobio and Shouyou were in Brazil along with the remainder of the Japanese national volleyball team for winter training and friendly matches with several other national teams. With them gone for two weeks and Miwa on a girls’ trip with her friends to France, you were the only Kageyama sibling left in Japan to take care of Tobio and Shouyou’s rescue dog, Hiro. 

Shouyou looked excited at the thought of seeing Hiro.“We’re arriving at 4 AM so don’t feel pressured to pick us up!” 

Tobio warned, “Don’t show up to the wrong airport, idiot!”

You rolled your eyes and flipped him off, him mirroring the gesture right back as Shouyou threw a pillow at him. 

“Be nice to your own flesh and blood,” Shouyou chortled, snatching the phone out of Tobio’s hand and waving goodbye to you. 

“See you soon!” You waved back, lifting Hiro’s paw and waving for him too. Your home screen popped up and you tossed your phone up onto the couch, laying down on the floor with Hiro sitting on your chest. You languidly petted Hiro as you sighed, “Hiro, we only need to survive today and tomorrow. Then, the day after tomorrow, we’ll have our lovely idiots back!” 

Hiro barked and you groaned as you sat up and lifted Hiro off of you. “Let’s go for our morning walk, shall we?” 

To be honest, you were so proud of yourself. Not only was it your first time taking care of Hiro all by yourself, but within the last week and a half, you had worked in two daily walks to your schedule, taking more time to be outside rather than stuck on your computer or glued to the television, which consisted of nearly all your time outside of work. 

Having Hiro livened you up and it was so comforting to another body sleeping at your side each night. 

As you attached the leash to his collar, you sighed, “I’m going to miss you, buddy.” After Shouyou and Tobio returned, it would just be you all alone in your apartment again. 

You jogged about three miles with Hiro morning and night, doing laps in your neighborhood. Rescued as a newborn puppy, Hiro was well-loved and well-trained by Tobio and Shouyou, so you never had to worry about him straying too far, even if you didn’t know how to properly adjust the leash in your hand. 

You were totally in the moment, lipsyncing to your favorite song as you were jogging, your eyes down at your phone to select the next song. The extra length of the leash was wrapped around your wrist since you had no idea how to work the leash’s handle in your hand. You didn’t mind the friction burn since Hiro rarely strayed or ran. 

Suddenly, you gritted your teeth as the rough material of the leash dug into your skin. You looked up to see Hiro chasing another dog, gaining speed that your jogging could not follow. 

“Hiro!” You screamed out as you tried to pick up speed and simultaneously unwrap the leash that was tightening around your arm. When you managed to slip a few fingers between the leash and your arm, the leash went slack and slid off you, now trailing behind Hiro without your hold. 

All you could do was run like hell was chasing you, fearing Tobio’s wrath if you couldn’t catch Hiro. You shoved people aside on the street who were distracted by their phones, hoping that Hiro would slow down at one point just enough for you to pick up his leash again. 

You nearly crashed into a man walking by and shouted an apology without looking back. The next thing you knew, the man was running ahead of you with a dog of his own attached to a leash. 

Your luck ran out as the man stumbled over the uneven sidewalk and lost his grip on the leash, his fluffy white dog now in pursuit of Hiro, who was just a blurry brown ball of fur in the distance.

Huffing, you caught up to the man and wildly pointed at his own loose dog as if he didn’t notice. 

Without hesitation, the man grabbed your hand and ran, dragging you along with him despite how exhausted you were. 

“Hiro!” You shouted, hoping that it would get his attention and have him return to you, but it was for nothing. “Fuck, Tobio is going to kill me,” you wailed, thinking about the time in elementary school when you stabbed his volleyball with a pair of your mother’s crafting scissors. Miwa had to rip the two of you apart and lock you in separate rooms of the house for two hours while you screamed at each other. 

“Look!” The stranger pointed to the two dogs that were wading happily in the fountain in the city center, more than six miles from your house. 

With one final spurt of energy, the two of you jumped into the fountain, still holding hands, and waded to the center to scoop up each other’s dogs, barely climbing out of the deep fountain.

Not caring about the stares from people passing by, you exchanged dogs and collapsed onto the ground, leaning against the fountain to catch your breaths. The water was freezing but the sweat from your sprint to catch Hiro had your body overheating. 

Weakly, you introduced yourself, only to screech when Hiro shook off the water on his fur and sprayed the two of you. 

“Kageyama, you say?” You nodded and he didn’t ask any further questions. For a moment, you thought that maybe he knew of Tobio and became guarded, knowing just how many people tried to pull tickets to their volleyball games out of you. Instead, the stranger just said, “Hirugami Sachirou. It’s a pleasure to meet you,” shaking your hand. Finally, you got a good look at the stranger and mindlessly continued to shake his hand, staring at his beautiful face. 

Water droplets were dripping from his brown wavy hair and his radiant smile along with his other soft facial features really convinced you for a second that this man was not human. 

In a stupor, you blurted, “Hiro isn’t my dog.” 

At the sound of his name, Hiro clamored up from your lap and pawed at your chest, demanding scratches on his back. 

“Well if you dognapped him, then Hiro sure seems to like you,” Hirugami teased, finally letting go of your joined hand to pet Hiro. 

Defending yourself, you shot back, “I’m not a dognapper! I’m technically Hiro’s aunt.” You lifted Hiro up proudly and his tongue lapped at your nose, making you smile. “I only have for the next two days, then my brother is coming back,” you sighed, already dreading your separation from Hiro. 

Holding up his dog, Hirugami cooed, “This is Kiki. She’s one of the dogs I treated.” 

“A subtle flex, I see,” you joked, nudging him with your elbow. “If I do end up nearly killing Hiro within the next two days, I’ll need a vet, so I suggest you give me your number.” 

You were pretty proud of yourself for your smooth move and didn’t really expect it to be as successful as it was. Without hesitation, Hirugami fished his phone out of his pocket and offered it out to you to input your contact information. 

Smugly, you typed in the information and went the extra mile to call your phone from his, just so you could have his number too.

The two of you with Hiro and Kiki sat quietly on the ground, leaning against the fountain. Several people cast confused looks and pointed but neither of you really cared, letting Hiro and Kiki play with each other while you tried to process how a simple walk with Hiro turned into a full-fledged swim in a public water fountain. 

“So,” Hirugami finally spoke up after a while, “We dove into a fountain together, want to go on a date? That way we don’t need Hiro in a life-endangering situation to see each other again.” 

Coyly, you pursed your lips to prevent a huge smile from breaking out and casually responded with, “Sure.” 

“Great, how about tonight? I was going to ask if you wanted to go right now, but seeing as how we’re drenched...” Hirugami trailed off, gesturing down his body where the lower half of his jeans were darkened and around both of your legs, the concrete was significantly darker from the water dripping from your clothes. 

“Are we tempting fate if I ask if our date can be a walk in the park with our dogs? I literally haven’t left Hiro alone since the moment I got him,” you admitted. You really didn’t want anything to happen to Hiro and the best method of protecting him would be having him at your side. Working from home allowed you to play with him throughout the day so he wouldn’t get lonely and having him make surprise appearances during your work meetings always brightened others’ moods. 

Hirugami finally stood up, clutching Kiki’s leash tightly in his hand. He held out a hand for you to stand up and you gladly took it, holding Hiro under one of your arms. 

You pitifully held up the leash handle to inspect and realized that from bouncing on the concrete sidewalk for multiple city blocks, the plastic leash handle was shattered. 

“Here, let me.” Hirugami detached the long, tattered leash and threw it in a nearby trash can, then detached Kiki’s leash and clipped it on. “I think you need it more than I do.” 

Hirugami took the next five minutes teaching you how to use the leash and when you insisted that you could just carry Hiro home, he refused, reasoning that the clinic had plenty of leashes from donations that Kiki could use. 

“I’ll text you, okay?” Hirugami leaned in suddenly to kiss you on the cheek and walked off with Kiki in his arms, leaving you stunned and frozen in your spot. 

Hiro’s barks forced you out of your reverie and you put Hiro on the ground, double-checking the leash just like Hirugami taught you before jogging home. You didn’t even notice that you were shivering now the coldness from your damp clothes finally seeping through your bones. 

At home after a much-deserved shower for you and a bath for Hiro, you decided to do the sensible thing and searched Hirugami on the Internet. 

“Oh, shit,” you whispered as the various results began flooding your screen. Most were articles from his high school heydays several years ago when he was a volleyball player. The most surprising fact was that he had played against Tobio during his first year and you had actually attended that match. There was no doubt now that when he repeated your family name, he knew roughly who you were. 

You scrolled a bit further and realized that Sachirou’s older brother was, in fact, currently the captain of Schweiden Adlers, Tobio’s team in the V. League. 

“Ah, shit. I’m fucked,” you slapped your forehead, frustrated. Knowing how sensitive your own brother was to relations between people, you knew that he would be weary with you dating his captain’s little brother. If anything happened between Sachirou and you, Tobio would be put in an awkward place. 

You considered canceling the date but couldn’t bring yourself to. Maybe Sachirou would agree to keep your relationship a secret? Whatever it was, you didn’t want to lose this chance with Sachirou. 

To kill time until the date, you scheduled your work hours for the next two weeks and took a long bath before finally getting ready. 

When you emerged from the steamy bathroom, you checked your phone and scrolled through emails until you landed on a text from Sachirou. 

_Meet me in front of the fountain at 6 PM. I know a great place to walk with lots of street vendors. Can’t wait to see you again._

You couldn’t help but sigh as you liked the message and set your phone down. Who knew that volleyball politics would get in the way of your dating life? You tried to be optimistic as you readied Hiro and yourself for the date. 

Less than a block away from the fountain, Hiro spotted Kiki and began to run, but this time, the leash in your hand remained taut and you were able to rein him in so that you wouldn’t have to burst into a sprint like earlier today. 

“Oh,” you whispered as you caught sight of Sachirou holding a bouquet of assorted flowers in his hand, waiting for you. 

You ran towards him, not because you wanted to, but because your feet just started moving and you felt the silent pressure of Tobio’s success weighing on your shoulders. 

Sachirou caught you with open arms as you buried your head in his shoulder, breathing heavily and blinking rapidly to stop the tears. 

“Hey, what’s wrong?” He asked, stroking the back of your head while he rubbed comforting circles on your back. 

Sniffling, you nearly wailed, “One great date comes along my way and my brother’s volleyball career has the potential to ruin it all.” 

You felt Sachirou’s chest shake slightly from a low laugh. “If you’re worried about my brother, he really doesn’t care. I was on the phone with him after I met you to brag that I met this really awesome person and that person just happened to be the younger sibling of one Kageyama Tobio. He congratulated me and said as long as I video the reaction from Tobio, we’re good to go.” 

Still in his arms, you looked up at Sachirou and argued, “It’s my brother that’s the problem. He can be a real hardass when it comes to volleyball.” With an exasperated sigh, you muttered, “Gosh, you should’ve seen him in middle school.” 

“You know, I really don’t give a crap about what Kageyama Tobio thinks,” he scoffed, kissing your forehead. “I mean, look at Hiro and Kiki. They’re in love. Who does Kageyama Tobio think he is to keep them apart? Plus, let's not forget he's literally dating another volleyball player on a different team.” 

For a moment, Sachirou and you observed Kiki and Hiro nuzzling each other’s faces. 

Sensing your hesitation still, Sachirou added, “If there’s one thing I learned from my high school volleyball years, it’s that you can’t be uptight and feel guilty for something you can’t control. Even if it is something that you can control, it’s okay to make mistakes.” 

You wrapped your arm around his neck to draw him close and hovered for one second before closing the distance. Sachirou was right. Fuck Tobio and his stupid uptight personality. You were going to enjoy this damn date and be optimistic enough to think about a second date with Sachirou instead of your own brother. 

Exactly at 2:32 AM on the morning of Tobio and Shouyou’s arrival, Sachirou woke you up with a kiss. When you groaned and tried to burrow into his arms, he rolled you to the edge of the bed and threatened to kick you off if you didn’t wake up. 

“I’m awake!” You flailed, sitting up and huffing as you stomped into the bathroom. 

Your anger dissipated when Sachirou snaked his arms around your waist and rested his head on your shoulder. “Good morning,” he sighed happily as he left a trail of kisses up your neck and along your jawline. 

With a toothbrush in your mouth, you turned around and hugged him right back, pinching his cheeks. 

The two of you dressed in matching sweats and Sachirou drove your car to the airport. The waiting game began. 

Hiro and Kiki were safe in each of your arms as you waited by the arrivals gate, which you triple-checked to make sure it was the right gate. 

At 4:24 AM, Tobio and Shouyou appeared through the gates and waved wildly, spotting you first. When they saw Sachirou at your side, Shouyou leaned over to whisper something in Tobio’s ear. 

“Showtime,” you whispered, squeezing Sachirou’s hand. 

Tobio and Shouyou sprinted towards you, Shouyou taking Hiro from you, and Tobio rolling his eyes before hugging you. 

“My little troublemaker,” he teased, pinching your cheek. “I’m happy for you. Congrats on no longer being the only single Kageyama.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you as always for reading! Comments, kudos, and requests are loved :) 
> 
> Upcoming: Kiyoko, Akiteru, and Saeko!


	36. Shimizu Kiyoko

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Date after date ends in disappointment but maybe the best date was close by all along.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize that this has taken forever and this is shorter than a lot of the chapters but my winter classes have absolutely WRECKED my will to do anything but I really loved writing this piece and hope you enjoy it <3
> 
> Thank you so much for 1600+ kudos!

With a long sigh, you picked the phone that was faced down on the coffee shop table and dialed the same number you usually did when shit like this happened. 

There was no greeting on the other end, but a simple “Where are you?” followed by a curt “I’m on my way” when you sent them the address of the shop you were sitting in. 

You stared at the empty seat in front of you as you sipped on your drink, cursing at yet another no-show date. After three consecutive no-shows, you couldn’t help but wonder if there was something wrong with you that chased all your dates away. 

The bells hanging on the coffee shop door tinkled and the same person who always rescued you from these moments sat themselves down at the table, reaching out to hold your hand. 

You looked up at Kiyoko and laughed bitterly. “Sorry for dragging you out here in the rain. Thanks for rescuing me.” You raised your glass and clinked with hers, and she shot you a warm smile. 

“Whenever you need me, I’m there. We’ve had our fair share of bad dates under our belt,” Kiyoko sighed. Her hands wrapped around yours that were holding the mug and slid it out of your grasp. She took a generous sip of your drink and set it down on the table, resting her head on her elbow. 

Stuffing your keys and phone into your pocket you refreshed your mindset and stood up, reaching out for Kiyoko. “Come on, I’ll treat us to a delicious dinner at your favorite place,” you did a little shuffle dance and Kiyoko laughed, taking your hand and standing up. 

“It’s a date,” she teased, and the two of you were off, your unattended drink finished by Kiyoko on the way out. 

The two of you drove to Kiyoko’s favorite restaurant, a short five-minute drive from the coffee shop. It was a sushi place, with her favorite tenmusu and your favorite sake. While she ate to her heart’s content, you drank, only eating the sushi whenever she held it at your lips. 

“You cannot drink anymore on an empty stomach,” Kiyoko scolded, snatching away your cup and replacing them with chopsticks. She slid a plate full of your favorite sushi rolls and watched you intently as you reluctantly began to chew on your first roll. 

Realizing that there was still the drive home and dreading the idea of continuing to drink alone, you abruptly stood up and raised your hand to catch the attention of the waitress. 

“Is there something you need?” She asked politely, clearing some of the empty dishes that had piled up. 

“Can I get 12 more pieces of tenmusu to-go and the check please?” You fished out your credit card from the back of your phone case and offered it out to the waitress, who took the card and left for the register.

“What are you up to?” Kiyoko asked, looking at you suspiciously. You offered her no response and smiled, winking. 

She didn’t bother to question you, knowing that at this point, your lips were sealed, as they always were whenever you were up to something mischievous. When Kiyoko’s food arrived in their appropriate carryout boxes and you tipped the waitress handsomely, you grabbed Kiyoko’s hand and led her out of the restaurant, opening the car door for her. 

Slotting yourself into the passenger seat, you sang, “To the convenience store!” 

Kiyoko pulled up to the store nearest to your shared apartment and you snuck in without her, carrying six bottles of sake, some of Kiyoko’s favorite beer, and plenty of snacks for the two of you. 

Hands full of bags, you didn’t bother to shove them in the backseat since home was only a few blocks away. 

“Here, let me help you,” Kiyoko insisted, but you hoarded the bags, carrying them yourself into the apartment. Kiyoko rolled her eyes and sighed as she unlocked the door, shoving it open with her shoulder and stepping aside for you to stumble through. 

You moved in with Kiyoko by chance, after finding her post online looking for a housemate. With your combined salaries, you could afford a modest 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom apartment in the heart of Tokyo. You worked in PR for a huge international corporation based in Tokyo and Kiyoko had her own business, with two physical locations in addition to an expansive online catalog of athletic clothing and accessories. 

It was a high-rise apartment with a gorgeous view of the city with all the amenities including a gym on the 4th floor, so who were you to refuse the offer? What began as a contractual relationship as housemates blossomed into a genuine friendship, spending time on the weekends visiting popular restaurants, drinking, and singing karaoke. 

“I’m going to shower to warm up from the cold,” Kiyoko announced and you set out to arrange the variety of drinks, snacks, and Kiyoko’s tenmusu before taking a shower of your own. 

Both of you settled into matching cozy oversized fluffy hoodies and striped pajama pants, you cracked open the first beer for Kiyoko and a bottle of sake for yourself. The TV was playing a movie the two of you had seen a thousand times together and as always, the two of you were screaming at the characters and providing commentary. 

With empty cans and bottles neatly shoved onto one corner of the table, you were stretched out on the couch and Kiyoko sat on the floor, leaning her back against the sofa just under where your head was resting. 

Kiyoko finished her beer and gently placed it down on the table. She took a deep breath and paused the movie despite your whines. Her words, despite being softly spoken as always, had a sharp edge to them that froze you in your spot. 

“Take some time off dating.” Her tone wasn’t particularly sharp but it was the absence of any emotion that stilled you. 

Trying to lighten the mood, you threw your hands up in the air as a sign of defeat. “I will! I have a huge media campaign for that clothing company to finalize by the end of January so I won’t have time for dates,” you sighed, exasperated. “All I have time for is work and you,” you winked, slipping down to sit next to Kiyoko, affectionately nuzzling her shoulder. 

Kiyoko broke out into a laugh and lightly shoved you away, instead leaning forward to grab a bag of chips for you. Tossing it onto your lap, Kiyoko advised, “Eat this to soak up some of the alcohol or you’ll have a hangover tomorrow morning.” 

Grinning, you tore into the chips and Kiyoko resumed the movie, occasionally sneaking her hand into your chips. At one point, you just handed the chips over and laid down, cradling your head on Kiyoko’s lap. Her slender fingers skidded across your face mindlessly while her eyes were trained on the screen, tracing your nose, your lips, your jawline, and your eyebrows. Her delicate touches made your eyelids grow heavier and sleep came quickly. 

When you woke up on Saturday morning, you felt the cold hard floor pressing against your back and the heavy blanket tangled around your legs. Groaning, you kicked off the blankets and perked up at the sound of food sizzling on the stovetop. 

“I woke up ten minutes ago and was starving.” Your head turned in the direction of Kiyoko’s voice, staring through your drooping eyelids at her in the kitchen with a spatula in hand and an apron around her neck with its ties dragging on the floor. “Go shower and I’ll have breakfast ready, okay?” Kiyoko turned around and you finally propped yourself up on your elbows and sighed. 

“I’ll be back in a few minutes,” you called out as you stood up and headed into your bedroom and the bathroom attached to it. 

Over breakfast, neither of you brought up the conversation from last night regarding your horrible dating life but focused on the upcoming busy work schedule the two of you would be juggling. 

“All the winter and spring merchandise are coming in soon, aren’t they?” You glanced up from your bowl of fried rice at Kiyoko, who held up her finger as she finished chewing. 

“They are and I was going to ask you-” 

You interrupted her and eagerly replied, “Tell me when you need me and I’ll be there. I’m recruiting a bigger team for the upcoming project so I should have much more time.” 

Kiyoko smiled gratefully and stood up, her bowl empty. She turned around to put the dishes in the sink and glanced at the clock. 

“You have work?” You asked, in the middle of chewing. 

“Just dropping by one of the locations to pick up some paperwork.” 

You started shoveling spoonfuls of rice in your mouth at an alarming rate and Kiyoko stared at you in shock. 

“Slow down!” Kiyoko warned, grabbing a bottle of water from the refrigerator and slid it to you. 

You shook your head and mumbled, “I’ll go with you.” Kiyoko shook her head and rolled her eyes but smiled, silently glad for your company. 

Ten minutes later, the two of you were bundled up and out the door, darting to the car to avoid the biting cold nipping at your extremities. Trembling in the car, waiting for it to warm up, Kiyoko grabbed onto your hands and shivered. Both of your breaths were visible and Kiyoko’s glasses were fogged up. 

“Your lips are chapped,” Kiyoko scolded, one hand letting go of your hands to fish in her coat pocket for her lip balm. With shaky hands, she popped off the lid and ran the lip balm over your lips, smacking her lips together for you to imitate. You grimaced at the sensation of too much sticky product on your lips and Kiyoko rolled her eyes. 

You complied and smacked your lips, maintaining eye contact with Kiyoko. “You need some too,” you whispered, quickly leaning forward and puckering your lips to leave an imprint of the lip balm on her lips. 

The second your lips touched, Kiyoko leaned in closer, her hands locking around your neck and her eyes fluttering closed. 

Pulling back, you asked in a teasing tone, “Should I still stop dating?”

Kiyoko’s mouth dropped open at your boldness and she firmly shook her head. In a whisper, Kiyoko replied, “Not if it’s me.” 

Both of you burst out into a laugh and you snuck another kiss, winking when you pulled away. 

“You are unbelievable,” Kiyoko sighed as she turned the keys into the ignition. You shrugged cheekily and grabbed her hand, happily humming as Kiyoko drove out of the parking spot, mumbling about your confidence.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for your patience, comments, kudos, and suggestions! Winter classes end next week so hopefully I can pump out some chapters at a faster rate before school starts up!
> 
> Upcoming: Akiteru, Saeko, Kei


End file.
